


Damned

by Muscida



Category: Septiplier - Fandom
Genre: ?????, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Homophobia, Human!Jack, Jack is a smol bean, Light Dom/sub, M/M, Sorry guys, The Author is a Fucking idiot, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Vampires, Victorian setting, angst at some point?, anyone up to the task of shooting me, apparently robin doesnt exist on ao3, but also has emotions, do not hurt him, felix is made of sass, fluff is definitely on the way, i need more sleep, idk - Freeform, im trash, imma add to the squad but ive been too lazy to add people to it, leave me alone, mark is a flirtatious bastard, maybe a few werewolves, smut at some point?!, so leave him alone, vampire!Mark
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-24
Updated: 2018-02-10
Packaged: 2018-08-16 23:34:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 22,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8121919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Muscida/pseuds/Muscida
Summary: Sean McLoughlin, the most powerful merchant in all of London, maybe even in all of Europe, has never felt attraction to any woman he has met. But one night, he meets a dashing stranger at a masquerade, and can't keep him out of his head. But homosexuality is a sin punishable by torture and death, and it gets even more complicated when he finds out that the man in his thoughts isn't even human.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gfsshshhhhhhssgsyfgdjshgfjdgasjdf imma delete to hell and back and focus on this thing
> 
> I rewrote the first chapter because I hated my first attempt at it. I'm happier with this one, but it's still not the best it could be. oh well.
> 
> so here have something that might be better than twilight hooray
> 
> ****HEY HEY HEY U GUYS INTERESTED IN TUMBLR HAHA MY BLOG USUALLY HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYTHING ITS JUST MEMES BUT LIKE IF YOU WANT ME TO FEEL BETTER ABOUT MYSELF THEN ITS CALLED Muscida57 AND LIKE YEAH HAHA HAH HA *NERVOUS LAUGHTER*

Jack had always known he could make a lady swoon from meters away. A simple gesture from him could make a lady’s knees weak. All of the men he interacted with, be they other merchants, friends, family, or even men he saw in passing in bars or on the street, they were always talking about another lady in their life, an extension of who they were. But Jack had never had that sort of a relationship with… anybody, really. He’d never felt this ‘love’ that was always described to him. He had always been taught school, career, marriage, children, career, death. But the ‘marriage’ part had never appeared relevant. Most people of his age had children, and he had the largest trade company in Europe, possibly even the world. He often joked that he was married to his work, but he was starting to feel a large pressure on his shoulders to continue the family line.

But he didn’t want to.

No one struck his fancy. No one caught his eye. No one made him feel butterflies in his chest or lightning when they touch. No one occupied his thoughts at night as he stayed awake, staring at the stars at night. No one danced throughout his dreams. No one to wake up to in the morning.

No one to ‘carry the next generation.'

His mother and father constantly pestered him about it. He was getting more and more attention because of it. Jack rubbed his eyes and groaned at the thought of another lecture via letter. He didn’t feel like waving from his carriage. Not today. He had to be social all night, a thought that made him want to jump off a bridge. Tonight was a masquerade at the palace, a big gala for Hallow’s Eve. It was very soon, and the royal family always felt the need to be very festive.

Jack focused on the clip-clopping of hooves against cobblestone as he looked out the window, his mask only slightly obscuring his vision. He was dressed as a phantom might, in all black with a hematite mask covering half of his face, gracefully curving around his eyes, arching over his cheekbones, and ending by the edge of his jaw. He had on a black tailcoat and black pants leading down to polished black boots. He was wearing black gloves with small accents of white around the tips of the fingers that went well with his collar, which was black except for the bits of white around the edges. His bowtie was white, standing out from the rest of the outfit.

The carriage drew to a halt, and Jack’s butler, Devon, entered the carriage and led Jack out, leading him inside the populated crowd outside of the ballroom doors. Jack groaned internally as he was thrown into the fray. He swore that somebody brought up marriage every 10 ticks, and it was starting to get on Jack’s nerves. He eventually got tired of the constant persistence of these people, who seemed intent on finding Jack a ‘nice wife’ to ‘settle down with and maybe have a few kids.' He pushed through the crowd, breathing a sigh of relief when people ignored him and continued their conversations. Jack took a spot in the corner after getting a few drinks and observed the gala.

The walls were covered in gold leaf, complementing the white trim of the tall ceiling. The floor was a hard wood, taken care of daily, judging by the way it didn’t creak at all. Several large chandeliers lit the room in a soft glow, illuminating the masked faces of strangers, spinning and twirling, dresses flaring out and swirling in the movement. The string quartet, raised on a small platform, played some pieces in the corner for the crowd. The atmosphere was light and happy, not at all what Hallow’s Eve actually was. Jack grumbled and took another sip of his drink, trying to dull out the thoughts of irritation that filled his head; and the even more persistent nag in the back of his mind that never failed to stress him out. What if he really should be marrying? He may not want to but in his position that may not matter all that much. For the good of the company and all that, right?

A small lady approached him, hand outstretched nervously and cheeks burning. He sighed internally, but graciously took the fair girl’s hand as she practically skipped out onto the floor. Luckily, he had been taught how to dance from a young age, so the beat of the music and the proper steps came naturally, leaving the small lady flustered as she followed, stepping on his toes a few times, earning her a little chuckle, which only made her blush more. Jack loved playing with people, of course. It’s how he got to be so powerful. But when the lady moved in at the end of the piece, their lips almost touching, Jack spun out of her grasp with a curt nod of his head and a small bow before returning to his corner.

This had happened a few more times before he was approached for a different reason. A man, slightly taller and definitely larger than he was came up and stood next to him, leaning against the wall.

“A bit noisy, isn’t it?” Jack heard the man say in a thick French accent.

“Indeed. The quartet is lovely on the ears, but all this chatter drowns it out. A shame, if you ask me.” Jack replied in his thick, British accent.

The man nodded in reply, taking a sip of his red wine.

Jack looked over and caught a glance at the man, his heart fluttering. He was wearing a black tailcoat as well, the collar pushed up. The bowtie was a dark crimson, matching the accents on his mask and his boots. His pants were the same as Jack’s, plain black, but the boots had accents of silver and crimson. His mask was a glittering silver mask, tracing a path from his right eye down to his chin, which Jack’s eyes followed with great interest. Without realizing it, he was drinking in the features of the man’s neck, tracing the outline of the broad shoulders. The slight curve of his slender waist down to… why was Jack staring there of all places?

Jack shook himself back into focus, seeing a smirk play on the man’s face, tugging at his mouth and showing through his deep brown eyes that seemed to suck him in, drowning Jack in their depths. Jack forced himself to look away before he did anything he would sincerely regret, feeling his face burn and his cheeks redden. The man’s smirk grew as he chuckled slightly, leaning against the wall.

“Every man has done it, I promise. It’s fine.” the man said, taking a sip of his wine as a smile played at his eyes.

Jack swallowed hard and nodded, also taking a sip of his drink, leaning against the wall in the same fashion as the stranger.

“So, who are you?” the stranger prompted, looking up from the floor and meeting Jack’s gaze.

‘Sean. Sean McLoughlin. You’ve probably heard of me.” Jack replied, barely pulling himself together to formulate a response with pride and instinct alone.

“Mm. Yes. A very well known merchant across Europe. You’ve done a lot in your life, and you’re starting to get criticism for your lack of a wife or children, especially from the rest of your family. I won’t harp on you about it - everyone has their own pace for things. Mark Fishbach, by the way. I don’t wish to stay as an anonymous stranger forever.” he said, his thick French accent still floating through the air, making Jack want to burst. His voice was so deep, it seemed to make the air around him vibrate, and the accent only made it worse for Jack, who was experiencing his first attraction to an individual. Which was certainly a very new feeling.

“I don’t think I have heard the name. What’s your occupation?” Jack asked, attempting to carry a conversation.

“I would prefer not to say, Sean,” Mark said, his voice dropping and quieting, sending chills down Jack’s spine.

“Please, refer to me as Jack,” Jack said to keep himself slightly composed. But Mark caught onto his odd behavior.

“Important business deal? Stressful week?” Mark asked, a lilt in his voice as he shifted closer. Jack’s heart nearly jumped up to his throat, hammering in his chest.

“Err, something of the sort. One of my shipments had a problem, and I’m sorting it out.” It was actually a current issue, but it wasn’t the thing that was making Jack tick.

Mark was the thing making Jack tick.

His tailcoat fitted gracefully over his form, trailing off near the backs of his knees. His bow tie and mask added a spark of color to the outfit, catching any passerby’s attention. His deep voice resonated in the air, the vibrations threatening to make Jack’s knees weak.

But there was one looming problem with this whole thing.

Homosexuality was straight-up forbidden. Jack remembered watching someone burn in the town square for committing the sin, and their lover was hanged. He remembered the man’s screams as the flames consumed him, eating him alive. The screams dissolved into the crackling of the fire, which filled the night with a horrible dread, a heavy sense of unease. It had stuck with Jack all his life, the horror the man faced seeming to strike the same fear in him now. He had to stop these rogue thoughts now, especially since he was a very powerful man at this point. Anything negative that spread would ruin him. And this sort of thing would have him dead.

But Jack kept feeling the same pounding from his chest whenever Mark spoke or looked over at him. He couldn’t help the lump that formed in his throat and the air suddenly leaving his lungs. Mark could give a small flick of his hand and Jack’s harsh exterior would threaten to fall, like a tree swaying dangerously during a storm, threatening to splinter and fall at any point. Jack barely held himself together every time their eyes met, every time Mark gestured in his direction while talking from halfway across the room. Jack stepped on a few toes whilst staring at Mark, earning him some frustrated nudges from dance partners.

Eventually, the quartet ended with a grand crescendo, leaving everyone to talk amongst themselves. Devon and Mark found him at the same time, leading to a few confused glances. Devon eventually spoke. “Master, the carriage is ready and waiting outside. I’ll be waiting near the doors. Meet me whenever you come out.” he proclaimed before leaving Mark and Jack alone.

Mark’s voice dropped to a dangerously low whisper as he leaned in to speak into Jack’s ear. “I know. And quite frankly, I feel very similarly. We’ll likely have to confine it to your manor, if you’re ready to take on such a thing. Send a courier for Arin Hanson and only write two words on a page with black ink.” Mark said, his voice quiet and rich in his ear. “The words are…?” Jack said, looking Mark straight in the eye. “Chauve souris,” Mark said, the syllables rolling off his tongue with ease. Jack nodded, a faint smile playing on his lips. Mark waved as he left, leaving Jack staring as he walked out, his stride long and confident and exuded dominance, like a prowling lion.

After getting tangled in a few petty conversations about marriage, he walked out of the doors and headed to the carriage, Devon in tow. Devon opened the door, letting Jack enter the relatively small space. Jack took a seat and started thinking. He didn’t bother to wave to everyone, just sat in silence as he thought. He always had the government and the public sniffing his trails, and getting involved with Mark might turn out to be disastrous, but Jack wanted to explore this new, unfamiliar feeling Mark made him feel whenever he did anything.

He imagined his usual self, at his manor, alone, working. Everything was work right now. He didn’t have anything better to do. But taking up Mark’s offer might be the best choice for Jack, just to get him to relax slightly. But, again, it could end with death. But was the life he was currently leading any better than death? Sure, he lived in a beautiful manor and had a very dominant position, but he was never happy. Maybe he would just take this one risk.

What could go wrong?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> muscida57.tumblr.com


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Hello McLoughlin. How has your night been?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GSHDFDJS I GOT IT OK SHUT UP
> 
> I wrote this late at night before a horse show whoops imma be tired oh well
> 
> i didnt know what the fuck to do so enjoy the shit that comes right off the top of my head
> 
> ****HEY HEY HEY U GUYS INTERESTED IN TUMBLR HAHA MY BLOG USUALLY HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYTHING ITS JUST MEMES BUT LIKE IF YOU WANT ME TO FEEL BETTER ABOUT MYSELF THEN ITS CALLED Muscida57 AND LIKE YEAH HAHA HAH HA *NERVOUS LAUGHTER*

Jack had more trouble than usual falling asleep the previous night.

His mind churned with Mark - his voice, his face, his posture, his eyes, his suit, his mask, his accent, everything. Mark had taken over Jack’s mind, and he was the only thing Jack could think about. His mind whirred excitedly at all of the possibilities. Eventually, he fell into a deep sleep, dreaming of no one else other than Mark.

Jack was near the coast, somewhere. It was warm and sunny, and he enjoyed the warmth as he observed the landscape. Rolling green hills were dotted with mansions and large houses of all types, all of them inviting and warm. He kept observing. He was standing on sand, where the ocean lapped up onto the shore, the soothing sound of water relaxing him. A strange noise from the sea distracted him, and Jack saw a whale surface to get air before diving back under. Jack turned his attention back to the landscape as he kept observing, the sun and warmth making him just want to close his eyes, to fall asleep. It was usually cold and rainy in London, and he never really got to enjoy sunlight as much as he wanted to. But he kept mulling his eyes over the vast green landscape, taking it all in.

A bridge arched over a river in the distance, the river sparkling and shimmering in the sun before dropping off a cliff in the form of a waterfall, which descended past Jack’s vision. He heard a shuffling and someone clearing their throat, and Jack looked over and Mark was standing beside him, a smile spread across his beautiful features, making his rich brown eyes sparkle with happiness. Jack smiled, a warm feeling filling his chest as he looked up at the sky, a dragon circling a mountain in the distance. Mark grabs his hand and Jack turns to meet his gaze before…

The scene changes. It is now dark outside, save the full moon illuminating the sky. Jack was deep in a forest, twisted undergrowth and dead leaves at his feet, the air fresh and cool, and he felt some itching in his skin. This itch transformed into pain as he grew thick fur and his body morphed into a werewolf, his muscles becoming bigger and more pronounced as he grew, and grew, and grew. How odd. All of a sudden, he heard shouts in the distance, and the guard emerged from the trees. Jack realized the imminent danger and scrambled to his senses, leaped over a fallen tree and ran, but climbed into a patch of undergrowth to hide as he caught his breath. Footsteps approached his hiding spot, whistling a jolly tune as one of them rushed up and drew a long, shining sword. Jack stared at the wicked blade, not even realizing its intent before it impaled his chest, filling his body with a searing pain and eventually, death.

Jack jumped awake, his breathing ragged as he realized he was in his own room. Devon was at the door, looking at him, his head tilted and his expression laced with confusion. “Troubling dream, Master?” Devon asked, walking over to sit on the edge of the bed. Jack caught his breath and nodded, not really wanting to speak about it. “You seem a bit out of sorts lately. Get some sleep. You have some major deals to go over and a few important meetings that you absolutely cannot miss.” Devon said, standing and walking over to the door.

“Good night.” he said, grabbing the handle of the door and pulling it shut, the door closing with a quiet thunk. Jack sighed and laid back down, closing his eyes and drifting off again to thoughts of Mark. It seemed to be the only thing that could lull him to sleep.

But the rest was short lived when he heard a knocking on his door, startling him awake. “Come in, Devon.” Jack groaned, his voice tired and raspy. Devon opened the door and stepped inside with some fresh clothing. “Good morning, Master.” he said, giving a curt nod before hanging up the clothes on a rack as his Master crawled out of bed, his eyes half closed and his mouth forming an unintentional pout. His posture was hunched and weak, unlike the Master usually was.

“How did you sleep?” Devon prompted as he slid Jack’s shirt on. Jack grunted, waiting a few seconds before he replied. “I slept ok. I didn’t have another nightmare, for which I am grateful.” Jack grumbled, straightening out his shirt. His hair was an absolute mess, hanging over his face and tossed beyond recognition. Devon decided to dress him before he dealt with that, and he tied Jack’s tie before bothering with it. He practically dragged Jack to the washroom to straighten him out, trimming the scruff and fixing his hair. Devon felt satisfied with himself after all was said and done, and the Master looked like his usual self, dominant and slightly intimidating. Ready to make a deal with someone.

Jack was still tired as he dragged himself down the stairs to the office, plopping down in his chair with a sigh, Devon disappearing to get his tea and breakfast. Jack sat there, reviewing some letters and documents his butler had brought in. Nothing horribly important. More reports and concerns about the incident in Paris, which was currently giving him one hell of a headache. He sighed as he read note after note about it. Diplomats questioning the safety of the ships, people concerned about the safety of his policies, investigators wanting to know ‘secrets.' It was all a mess. Jack was very transparent, perhaps the most transparent businessman in Europe and people still distrusted him?

But there was one huge thing he was hiding.

Jack shook his head as his head filled with thoughts of Mark again. No, it was just a phantom of stress. An illusion.

But what if he needed to confront himself head-on? What if it was all real, bottled up inside him until Mark swooped in, his brown eyes kind and troubling a the same time, his attitude playful, and don’t even get him started on Mark’s voice.

A soft knock and a creak distracted him from his thoughts as Devon walked in with his tea and breakfast, the smell wafting across the room in warm waves, invigorating him and making his stomach growl. Eggs Benedict was set in front of him, the food steaming. Jack got to work on it immediately, all of a sudden very, very hungry. Devon seemed surprised and didn’t try to strike up a conversation until he was finished.

Jack set down his fork and looked up as he finished. Devon cleared his throat. “I didn’t think my cooking was that good today.” Devon prompted, a small smile playing at his eyes. Jack dabbed at his mouth with a napkin. “I don’t know why I’m so hungry today. Might’ve tired myself out last night. Maybe it’s the incident in Paris. Who knows?” Jack replied before taking a sip of his tea, feeling energy course through his veins. It was stronger than usual today, or maybe that was also just an illusion.

Jack rubbed his temples after he set his tea down again to look back down at the papers. A new one sat on top, the paper crimson and the seal black. It certainly wasn’t there before, and Jack wondered who it could’ve been from. Jack carefully opened it, trying his best not to tear the paper. The note was signed ‘Anonymous.' Great.

Jack read it carefully, soaking in every word. It was just a letter asking how he was doing, how he was holding up. This person seemed to know how he felt about everything, and even knew how he felt about Mark. Jack was very wary of this letter, his brows furrowing as he looked around for any intruders or trespassers on his property. How did it get there without Devon or himself seeing it? Jack kept the thoughts in the back of his head as he set the note aside, focusing back on his work.

The rest of Jack’s day was spent doing business. He had a few meetings and he wrote a lot of notes and responses. At the end of the day, he was sour and tired. He snapped whenever Devon asked anything, and Devon eventually gave up doing anything. Jack decided to retire long after the sun had set, dark clouds casting shadows over the gardens. Jack swore that he saw them ripple now again, like something was influencing them, bending them to their will. Jack blamed it on his fatigue and crawled into bed without a second thought, trying to fall asleep.

About thirty minutes into his attempt to fall asleep, he noticed that a dark figure was perched on his windowsill. Jack nearly fell out of bed, his breath catching in his throat, a small noise escaping his throat. The figure turned slowly, Jack’s heart hammering in his chest. Jack caught sight of more of the figure’s features. He was wearing a long tailcoat and white breeches, black dress shoes accompanying the outfit. Red eyes glinted in the light of the moon, and Jack saw it. The very pale, slightly translucent skin. The white fangs catching the moonlight.

Jack fell into a panic, scrambling off his bed and to the door. But the figure vanished and showed up behind him, clamping a soft hand over his mouth, a small whimper escaping Jack. Jack shook like a leaf under the figure’s red gaze, looking at his with a certain interest, almost predatory, looking over every inch of him, tracing every curve, every line. Jack tensed as their eyes met, and Jack’s stomach dropped and the hair on the back of his neck raised, sending a chill down his spine.

An all too familiar voice addressed him.

“Hello McLoughlin. How has your night been?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> muscida57.tumblr.com


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey hey hey it's hard to type guess why
> 
> My finger is a literal sausage rn
> 
> So I went to pat a dog. Said dog was scared of humans bc she had been abused in the past.(ik poor doggo let's all cri together she deserves love <3) I did not know this, so I went to pat. She was scared and felt threatened by my, so she lashed out. 
> 
> Needless to say, my hand hurts. I have a few puncture wounds in 2 fingers that I'm vigorously pouring in hydrogen peroxide and the sausages kind of make it hard to type properly.
> 
> Despite the odds, I rewrote the end of this chapter and HERE YOU GO, WITH MINIMAL FINGER SUFFERING!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> Heh
> 
> ****HEY HEY HEY U GUYS INTERESTED IN TUMBLR HAHA MY BLOG USUALLY HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYTHING ITS JUST MEMES BUT LIKE IF YOU WANT ME TO FEEL BETTER ABOUT MYSELF THEN ITS CALLED Muscida57 AND LIKE YEAH HAHA HAH HA *NERVOUS LAUGHTER

Someone else stood on the windowsill now, and an audible sigh escaped them as they stepped down and stopped in the middle of the room.

“Mark, you ass, stop fucking around. This is an important mission, and you’re trying to get in bed with someone you barely know. Let’s get a move on.” another voice said in an exasperated tone, his voice laced with the harsh tones of German.

“Felix, why are you always business. It’s not like the Elders are watching us closely. It’s not like they’ll know. Calm down.” Mark said, his voice still low and profound, his r’s rolling in a way that made Jack’s knees weaker than they already were.

“Dude, they’ll be able to smell him from miles away. The Elders have very sensitive senses and they barely tolerate your nonsense because they can’t be around humans without losing control. You can’t make many mistakes in your position, Mark.” the other man, Felix, stated, leaning up against a wall.

“Aw, don’t be such a letdown. It’s good to have a bit of fun now and again.” Mark purred as he gazed into Jack’s eyes. “Right, chéri?’ he said, smirking slightly when Jack flushed a shade of bright red.

The other man groaned and pushed himself off the wall. “I’ll leave you to explain yourself when you come back late, sweaty and sticky, as the Elders consider booting you.” Felix said, walking back over to the window. Mark sighed and let go of Jack to follow him, mumbling obscenities as he walked.

Jack finally got a chance to stand up straight again before Mark turned his head again, mumbling something in French as their eyes met. Jack flushed a bright red as he heard a small chuckle before he leaped back out the window and disappeared into the night.

Jack’s mind didn’t digest all of the odd dialogue between Mark and Felix as his mind was spinning from the sensation of Mark again, everything about him. He had forgotten what chéri meant, but he knew that it meant something along the lines of ‘dearest’ or ‘darling.' The thought sent Jack into a tizzy, heart racing whenever he thought of anything about Mark. He eventually fell into a fitful sleep.

The weeks after that encounter were quite boring and uneventful. Jack was sorting out the mess that was the incident, where one of his shipments had sunk inexplicably. Many thought it was sabotage, and word was starting to get around about suspects. It was all a giant mess, and Jack needed to sort it out and get the situation under control. But he was distracted. Everyone he met, everyone he talked to said the same thing.

“He seemed distracted.”

“He seems distraught.”

“He seems unsettled.”

Jack’s mind would often wander in the middle of a conversation before he was brought back to reality. At night, his emotions transformed from attraction to love to straight up lust for Mark.

People were picking up on Jack’s odd behavior. Rumors were starting to spread that Jack finally had met someone who struck his fancy and that he should leave the whole mess alone while he deals with his personal life. Others thought that he was starting to lose it after so many years in the grueling trade business. Whatever the case, he wasn’t normal.

And Mark didn’t visit for weeks and months, making the situation worse.

Jack was frustrated in all senses of the word.

He didn’t sleep. He didn’t eat. He didn’t drink. Hell, he didn’t laugh much anymore. Something was going on, and people were determined to find out, as the public usually is in these sorts of these lingering issues. Always sniffing, always peeking, always looking for new gossip. And that couldn’t end well for Jack. Not right now.

Jack reclined in his seat, worn down from all the weeks of people pestering him for answers about what he was going through, but he really didn’t want to answer. It got to the point where people were knocking on his very door, demanding answers. Everyone in the manor was sick and tired of all the attention they were put under, and it didn’t seem to be stopping.

Jack looked back down at all of his papers. He really wasn’t in the mood for paperwork right now. He hadn’t been for a few weeks now. He just needed some fresh air. He had ridden the countryside so much lately, though. He knew every tree, every branch, every bramble. No. He needed a change of environment.

Jack dressed in a relatively casual garb, sneaked out the front door, and headed straight for the bar. This bar was well known for being accepting of all people. They had harbored ‘criminals’ for years, possibly decades, and it was pretty much the only place in London that Jack actually felt safe. Jack waltzed in, automatically feeling eyes on him as he sauntered up to the bar top.

“What are you here for today, kind sir?” The bartender asked, a handsome man somewhere in his late twenties or early thirties. He had light stubble dotting his face and long, well-groomed red hair swept up into a ponytail. He had bright blue eyes as he observed Jack, wondering why someone of the aristocracy would waste their time coming somewhere like this. But he pushed the thought aside as Jack ordered.

“What's the strongest drink you have?” Jack asked, a desperate flame igniting somewhere behind his eyes. The bartender gave a smirk as he got to work, mixing things left and right to form the poison Jack was craving. He needed something to legitimately dull his mind from the outside world. After a few minutes, the bartender slid the drink across the barroom, leaning over to invite a quiet conversation.

“What brings you to such a place as this, dear sir?” The bartender asked in a thick Scottish accent, making his words hard to understand.

“Personal issues. “

“Any details? I won't judge you for anything. Hell, I'm probably worse off than you are.”

“I'm attracted to a man, dear sir. And this is the place where I'm least likely to die.” Jack snapped.

The bartender nodded, digesting the information as he leaned back and took Jack in. Seeing such a popular figure such as him was unheard of. He must've been very troubled to want to come all the way out here. The bartender shrugged as he served the next customer, a tall fellow with dark hair and warm, brown eyes. He wore a white shirt with a red bow tie tucked into some black slacks and some casual boots. Jack looked from his corner and nearly fainted.

Mark?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> muscida57.tumblr.com


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Damnit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bITCH IM HERE AND NOT DEAD YET
> 
> I'm getting an appointment with a therapist soon so theres one good thing. Classes might freak me the fuck out though sooooooooooooooooo
> 
> but anyways here have this long ass chapter because i spent a week trying to calm down and writing really helped hah
> 
> also yeah sorry if i seriously worried any of u im sowwy but i cant guarantee that it wont happen again SUCH IS THE LIFE
> 
> also so many of you commented so many good things like /im some of you guy's favorite author like that shit BLEW my mind how am i that good thank i apprec/
> 
> if you guys feel unimportant remember that you guys helped keep me ALIVE. Bitch you guys kept me from taking my own life. You guys reminded me that i need to fucking finish this story before i die(if i do). You. Guys. Are. Amazing. And not just the commenters. The people who leave kudos. The people who read this. The people that take the time out of their day to read this giant shitpost. The people who are excited for the next chapter. You. Guys. Are. Important. You. Guys. Are. Beautiful. You. Guys. Are. Powerful. I want all of you to remember this. If I can't believe in myself, then I'll put all my energy into believing in you guys. You guys keep pushing on, and I will too. Keep being the fabulous humans that you are because every single one of you matters.

Mark looked across the bar.

What was his name? John? Jason? Joven? He couldn’t remember. Centuries of being alive were starting to catch up with him. And there might have been the fact that he was drunk. Yeah, that might’ve been it. He shrugged as he waited for his drink, looking over at the lovely figure he had met at the Hallow’s Eve Masquerade. He had visited again when he had had the chance on a mission, but Felix had decided to be an asshole. He still didn’t know why he talked in such an odd manner. So much swearing and crude language. And he couldn’t ever get over the way he dressed. Didn’t have any taste. But seriously, why did Felix speak in such an odd manner? Mark hadn’t ever heard anything quite like it. He couldn’t even remember all of the silly terms he used. But he had always spoken oddly.

Mark was pulled out of his thoughts when his drink arrived, red wine. He could’ve had this back home, but he didn’t feel like being drunk around his brethren. They got judgemental. He nodded a thank you to the bartender before heading over to the corner he had been eyeing since he walked in.

The other man eyed him warily as he took a seat, wondering whether to greet him or not. He decided on the latter and took another sip of his drink, feeling it sit in the pit of his stomach. He couldn’t tell whether the sinking feeling in his stomach was from seeing Mark again or the alcohol. Probably both. Jack decided to ignore it as Mark opened his mouth to speak.

“Good evening. I believe we’ve met before. Hallow’s Eve, at the Palace, my dear?” Mark said, leaning over the table, the smell of alcohol heavy on his breath. He had been hopping around bars all night, and he was pretty tipsy for a vampire. Jack resisted the urge to lean back away from his pungent breath, trying not to breathe in. Jack was again captivated by those rich brown eyes. They sucked him in, captured him in their beauty. His heart pounded in his chest as he stared, the same warmth spreading across his face again.

 

Jack finally registered what Mark had said after a few seconds and nodded, not really paying attention to anything except Mark. He was brought back to the real world after the bartender had come to refill Jack’s drink. Jack blinked and accepted it, watching as his glass was filled to the brim. He then cleared his throat to speak.

“So, what brings you here, Mark? I feel like it's not the same reason I came.” Jack started, wanting to break up the awkward silence.

“I've been hopping bars all night. I've been trying to get away from my brethren. They're very uptight with me at the moment and I needed a break.” He replied, taking another sip.

“...Brethren…?”

Mark muttered something under his breath, no doubt profanity.

“I’ll explain later.” He said, taking a bit more than a sip this time.

Jack mulled over this quietly for a few moments before dismissing it. He was probably past the point of tipsy. Jack chugged the rest of his drink, waving the bartender over again to refill it. He watched happily as the liquid bubbled and fizzed once he was done filling it, winking as he turned away. Mark bristled slightly, his eyes turning slightly red before he settled down again. But then he got an idea.

“Mind to come with me? Staying in one place hasn’t done you much good for months. I think it’s time you get out and see the world more.” Mark suggested. Jack smiled and nodded, not really processing anything he was saying, entranced in Mark’s warm gaze. Mark swept up their glasses and stood, leaving Jack to follow him out the door. He graciously nodded to the bartender, who wished them a good night as they exited the dimly lit bar into the busy London streets.

They roamed the streets happily, masquerading as business partners when in reality, something was growing between them. Mark and Jack looked through shop windows at intricate statues and decorations. Small things were exchanged between them, a smile, a giggle, a small nudge. Even though they didn't get to openly display their affection, Jack felt like something was being formed and developed as they wandered around town.

Eventually, people started to clear out of the streets. Shops closed and people left to get home. At this point, Mark didn't say goodbye. Instead, he pulled Jack into a dark alley, where he pinned Jack against the cold brick of the store there and caught him in his warm brown depths again. Jack felt a rush as this happened, feeling his heartbeat thrum heavily as Mark pressed against him.

Jack let out a quiet gasp as he felt Mark grind against him slightly, leaning down to his neck, leaving a trail of bruises in his path. Jack leaned his head back, exposing his neck for Mark unintentionally. Mark let out a small chuckle, slightly grazing Jack’s neck with his teeth. Jack whimpered quietly, holding his breath as Mark went back up, nipping at his earlobe. Jack bit his lip to stifle anything that would come out, feeling a heat spread across his face and a throbbing in his groin.

Loud shouting interrupted their moment, making Mark pull away suddenly and Jack to snap his head around to see what was going on. A guard on night patrol had found them and was shouting for his comrades to join him to take up a chase. Mark grabbed his hand and looked back at him, a devilish glint showing in his eye. Jack could've sworn his eyes were slightly red, but it could've been a trick of the light as well.

“This is where the fun begins.”

Jack let out a confused huff before Mark gripped tighter to his hand and pressed himself against the wall. He became shrouded in shadow, and when Jack looked down at himself, he was too. He blended right into the dark alleyway, almost like nothing was there at all. “Mark, what the hell is this?” Jack whispered in an urgent tone, making the shadow beside him shift slightly.

“I can explain later, mon amour. This wavers when you make noise, so stay silent.” Mark acknowledged, leaning back against the wall and shutting his mouth. Jack exhaled slowly, trying to process what the hell was going on. The guards drew closer, surprised when they didn’t see a thing in the alley. Nothing. They started making fun of the officer there as they walked away. Jack heard Mark breathe a sigh of relief when he saw them move out of his sight, and they both became visible again.

Mark stood in front of him, his brown eyes twinkling in the twilight. He looked directly into Jack’s eyes, gazing into his blue depths. They were gorgeous, like the ocean. Hiding depths that Mark wanted desperately to explore, to discover what was hidden beneath Jack’s calm exterior. To see things about him that Mark doubted Jack had ever seen before.

It wasn’t only Mark staring. Jack was just as enthralled in Mark’s warm brown eyes. They seemed to flicker, flecked with bits of red and gold. They were like a fire. Raging and destructive, but warm and comforting. His eyes were thoughtful, but certainly not reserved. Jack felt a chill go down his spine as Mark seemed to pierce his soul, searching where no one had ever looked before. A wave of realization crashed down on him, stronger than it ever had been before. He grabbed Mark’s tie and pulled him in, eliciting a shocked noise from Mark before closing his eyes and relaxing into it.

The world seemed to disappear as they melted together in the alley. No clothes were shed, thank God, but Jack was feeling something he hadn’t ever really felt before. If he had felt it, it wasn’t nearly this strong.

Desire.

Passion.

Love.

For the man who couldn’t fall in love, he had fallen flat on his face for a drop dead gorgeous specimen. A forbidden suitor. A rare beauty. A diamond in the rough. A needle in the haystack. Jack hadn’t even gotten to know him very well, but he already felt like his world had been turned on its head. Flipped over. Changed for the better.

This was either the best or worst decision of Jack’s life.

Mark pulled away for a second, staring straight back into Jack’s eyes. They both panted for a few seconds before Mark spoke. “You know, we haven’t really talked much. We’re still not far from strangers. Since no one’s out on the streets, how about a tour of London? I haven’t been here for a while, and it might help us get more used to each other so that we don’t jump too far too quickly.”

“What do you want to see?”

“How about the great landmarks? Something that doesn’t require human interaction.”

Jack nodded and straightened himself up, smoothing down his messy hair and straightening his tie. Mark did the same before following Jack. They stayed in the alleys, avoiding all street patrols. The closest landmark was London Bridge, and Jack led Mark to it. He wasn’t familiar with the back alleys, but he had been required to memorize a map of London, alleys and all, as a child, so he knew some semblance of what led where. They got there in a relatively short amount of time, and Mark marveled at the fantastic view.

“It’s beautiful up here.” Mark observed, looking into the distance.

“Not as beautiful as you.” Jack replied.

Mark looked over, a small smile gracing his face. Mark pulled Jack closer to him, facing him as they gazed into each other’s eyes again. “You really think so? It is quite the view.”

Jack let out a small chuckle before planting a soft kiss on Mark’s lips, Mark’s ears reddening slightly at the gesture. A soft smile played on Jack’s face before he looked back out, taking in the landscape before him. Buildings lined the river, candlelight reflecting off the glassy surface of the river. It was now Mark’s turn to stare at Jack. His posture. The fleeting emotions that crossed his face. The way he crossed his arms. The brilliant shine in his eye. Mark hadn’t felt something like this in… he didn’t know how long. Ever since that Scottish medic a few centuries ago. The thought of him made Mark’s heart ache, but he knew that decision had been for the best. He wouldn’t have ever been accepted into the Council.

But tonight was for Jack, not Clia.

Jack relaxed into Mark’s side, leaning against him as he closed his eyes.

“Falling asleep already, dearest? This is our first stop.” Mark sighed, reaching out and wrapping a hand around Jack’s shoulder, letting his hand rest there. Jack made a small noise, smiling slightly. Mark hadn’t ever felt emotions this strong towards anyone since Clia, and that had taken months to develop. His connection to Jack seemed to be almost immediate, which was odd. Mark pushed that aside, feeling Jack melt into his side. Mark patted his arm and pulled away, eliciting an annoyed sound from Jack. “Where next?” Mark asked, a small chuckle rising in his chest as Jack turned, his eyes half closed. “How about Big Ben?” Jack suggested, perking up slightly.

“Lead the way.”

Jack led him through the streets again, arriving at the base of the largest timepiece in London. Mark grunted, wondering if he could get all the way to the top. He shrugged mentally, taking Jack’s hand in his own and shifting into a smoky form, climbing the side of the clock with ease before they stopped on one of the ledges.

Much better.

“What the hell was that?” Jack asked, all of a sudden very awake. “Just a faster and easier mode of transportation. It takes a bit to get used to, I know. Most people don’t change into smoke and climb up the side of Big Ben with it.” Mark answered, draping his legs over the side of the ledge, letting them hang off. Jack sat down beside him, leaning against him. They both were too drunk to realize what they were doing. Jack would’ve been overwhelmed by this if he didn’t have the help of liquid courage. Mark was similar, though he was usually pretty rash and impulsive in his decisions. He had always been one to take risks, even when he was still human. Jesus, that was all the way back before Rome. He was getting old.

The wind whipped at their hair, whistling in their ears. Jack made a small noise, curling into Mark’s side, his thin coat not doing much to shield him from the wind. Mark was focused on looking out at the scene spread before him, watching curtains being pulled and candles being dimmed as the city finally started going to sleep. Mark didn’t even realize that Jack had fallen asleep until he looked over, seeing his eyes were closed, his breathing and heart rate slowed significantly. Mark let out a small chuckle as he tried to shake him awake, gripping him by the shoulders and shaking him slightly. Jack shifted slightly, but didn’t wake. Mark gave up after a few minutes, deciding to just take him back to his manor and go back to the Council.

Mark took Jack’s hand once again, feeling how warm it was, even though it was relatively small. Mark smiled as he and Jack both dissolved into smoke to slide down the side of the clocktower and speed through the streets. Mark felt the smoke shift slightly, probably Jack waking up.

Mark stopped in front of Jack’s manor, shifting out of the smoke along with Jack. Jack stumbled, barely catching himself before he fell.

“You need to stop doing that.” he muttered, holding out his arms to make sure they were still there and attached to his body.

“It’s the fastest mode of transportation, and people can’t tell who you are through the smoke. At least, mortals can’t.” Mark laughed, waiting for Jack to get his bearings before directing him to the entrance of his manor. He put a steadying hand on Jack’s back, pushing him softly to his front door, guiding him in his drunken state. “You’ll need a warmer coat next time we do something like this. You were shivering on the clock tower before you fell asleep.” Mark suggested, a grin spread wide across his face. Jack only grunted in response, still facing away from Mark.

Jack’s butler answered the door, leading Jack inside and thanking Mark for bringing him back home safely. Mark nodded before he closed the door. He took off again right after he was out of sight, turning back into smoke to make it back to the Council. He wound through streets, climbed hills, flew over farmland, and eventually made it back to the large castle where the rest of the Council resided. There wasn’t as much activity in the Council as there usually was. Mark wasn’t especially worried. Marius could’ve gotten angry and ordered everyone to bed. It had happened before. Mark let out a grunt as he pushed open the old wooden doors, their hinges protesting as they strained against him. Mark eventually got the large doors to the castle open and was slapped in the face by reality.

Many bodies were sprawled across the floor, most of them dead. Blood and fur covered the walls and floor, no doubt a run-in with the werewolves, though this one looked to be far more violent than any of the others. They usually left many people injured, not killed. Hell, they rarely killed any other supernatural beings, preferring to intimidate people and avoid bloodshed. Mark sensed someone’s breathing in the room and made his way to where he sensed it. Their vitals were weak, probably dying. The thoughts sobered Mark up considerably as he marched over to where he sensed it, across the room in the corner. Felix laid there, coughing and wheezing. His back was propped up against a wall, a large, angry gash ripped across his chest. A splintered wooden stake laid a few feet away from him, claw marks evident in the wood.

“Jesus Christ. What happened here?” Mark said, dropping to one knee at Felix’s side, tears welling up in his eyes. He was too overtaken by grief to be angry at whoever did this. Someone he had known for centuries was dying right in front of him and there was nothing he could do to stop it. He felt helpless, powerless, as he watched Felix struggle for breath to speak.

“A lone wolf. Came and,” Felix coughed, wincing as the gash on his chest started throbbing again,” tore through the place. He was stronger than anything we had ever seen… He said he was targeting the one connected to the humans. You were lucky that you decided to sneak out tonight. But he said he was going to go through all of England to find him. You should…” Felix shuddered, a cough wracking his body. “You should run. Whoever it is, they’re after you. Get out while you can, Mark.” Felix choked out, his breath shaky in his throat as he lost consciousness.

Mark stood, a tear cutting it’s way down his cheek. He no longer felt the dulling effect of the alcohol anymore, just a burning guilt searing its way into his mind. If he had been here, none of this would’ve ever happened. He wouldn’t have to watch someone who had become a brotherly figure die. But here he was, Felix limp against the wall, his heart rate slowing down.

He had to find Marius. If he wasn’t alive, the Council wasn’t alive, and Mark would have to take control. That was a scary thought. He trudged up the oak steps, keeping all of his senses sharp as he searched for any more signs of life.

Two hours later, he had found nothing. He had searched the entire house, every nook and cranny, checking everything twice. Nothing. Bodies were in every room, and he was being targeted.

Leave England and never see Jack again, or stay and risk getting them both killed?

Damnit. He wasn’t going to run away with his tail between his legs. He had too much pride to do anything but stay and fight. He didn’t know if he was strong enough to combat this menace, but he would at least try. And anyways, he wasn’t willing to give up Jack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bITCH YOU THOUGHT
> 
> *dabs aggressively*
> 
> i got the idea for the whole massacre when i was riding my horse out on the trails and all of a sudden is popped into my head and i was freaking out and my horse was like 'hoe what the fuck you doing' so my horse has some sense unlike me
> 
> I'll just shove this in your face and leave you guys begging for another chapter k byeeeeeeeeeeeee
> 
> muscida57.tumblr.com


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the following months, Mark travelled from Britain to Japan to North America to Egypt, trying to find all of the remaining members of the Council that were spread across the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i am OBSESSED WITH YURI ON ICE YOU GUYS DONT UNDERSTAND
> 
> EPISODE 11 BE FUCKING WITH MY EMOTIONS
> 
> Anyways i got this piece of shit out to you guys after putting it off for like 2 weeks whoops sorry about that im a horrible person dont mind meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
> 
> This looks long but it's really not i promise its all like files until the end calm down.

In the following months, Mark traveled from Britain to Japan to North America to Egypt, trying to find all of the remaining members of the Council that were spread across the world, all of them feeling the enormous loss in London. So many leaders had been killed, and some were never found. Mark found 12 more vampires in 33 weeks, but it was nothing compared to the 67 very capable Council members. Many of these were dangerous criminals and outlaws with some potential for greatness. All of them different races, speaking different languages, different cultures, different everything.

Mark sighed, picking up the stack of papers he had been reading over and over again, trying to somehow glean more information from the profiles he had written, but having to come to the conclusion that he would have to learn about them himself every time.

Abernathy, Kevin

Country/Region of Origin: Japan

Physical Description: Small, lanky, weak, short. Short arms, disproportionately long legs, small feet. Trouble balancing.

Experience: None

Personality: Willing to learn, eccentric, average intelligence. Persistent. Nosey. Inexperienced. Untrained. Relatively impulsive. High risk of losing control.

Notes: Doesn’t drink human blood because he lacks experience. He drinks animals’ blood, for they’re easier to track and kill, plus you don’t have the consequences of killing a human. Otherwise, he locks himself inside and writes poetry. His town shuns him. I can see why.

 

Mark flipped to the next page, registering that he was going to have to teach a few of these how to do anything. It would be a rough few years.

 

Avidan, Daniel

Country/Region of Origin: Croatia

Physical Description: Tall, thin, weak, lanky. Looks like a giraffe. Extremely disproportionate.

Experience: Very little

Personality: Kind, funny, foolish. His jesting will get him in trouble many times. He’ll have some good stories.

Notes: Dug up graves to get blood. Only has experience from the guards that he had to kill to eliminate witnesses. A bit of a freak.

 

A bit of a freak? He had found Daniel because he was taking a stroll around town when he saw a grave robber and went to investigate. Mark was a tad nervous about being around him.

 

Barnes, Wade

Country/Region of Origin: North America

Physical: Tall, broad, well built. He could probably take a few punches, but he needs to be muscled to be able to do more than be a punching bag.

Experience: Little

Personality: A huge pushover. He doesn’t have the heart to kill a rabbit. Also has a problem with listening.

Notes: Lived with a Native American tribe. Quite interesting.

 

He remembered finding Wade among the tribe, sitting alone in a tent. He had never actually hunted, opting to gather plants. He would be a valuable healer, but he would need to be more conditioned before he would throw a decent punch.

Berhow, Suzy

Country/Region of Origin: France

Physical Traits: Average height, strong, broad. Can throw a decent punch, but needs to be conditioned. It would benefit her to learn more styles of fighting as well.

Experience: Some

Personality: Quiet, but deadly. Targets those who seriously offend her. She then drinks their blood as an added bonus. She might need a psychological evaluation.

Notes: I’m a bit scared.

Suzy was an interesting person, all right. He remembered all the taxidermied animals in her house, heads and bodies covering the oak walls.

Hanson, Arin

Country of Origin: Germany

Physical Traits: Short, but broad and sturdy. Could be quite the brick if he had any muscle.

Experience: Little

Personality: Only kills animals and humans he deems ‘useless.' He’s also quite the joker, which could earn him a few horror stories.

Notes: None

 

Arin might pull a few tricks here and there, but Mark didn’t worry too much about him. He had dealt with harder.

Magee, Ryan

Country/Region of Origin: Northern Wastes

Physical Traits: Able to withstand extreme conditions. Strong, sure-footed, but inexperienced in combat.

Experience: Some

Personality: Quiet, reserved. Only speaks when he has to.

Notes: Most versatile regarding environments. Can adjust to any climate quickly. Surprisingly graceful.

Ryan was a fascinating one. How did he even withstand the frigid temperatures of the Northern Wastes? It was just ice up there.

Muskyens, Bob

Country/Region of Origin: Sahara

Physical Traits: Heavily built. Quite the brawler. Not very agile, but that comes with work.

Experience: Little

Personality: Loud, bombastic, humorous. Fun to be around, but can also be quite dangerous.

Notes: None.

 

Bob was an interesting case. He certainly wouldn’t have as many issues as some of the others.

Before Mark could switch files, a pleasant knock sounded from the massive oak doors separating this room from the hall. This was their headquarters in Paris, meaning that everything here was relatively familiar to Mark. He had trained here and lived here for most of his life as a vampire. He came here after he was turned, all those years ago. He could barely remember that far back.

The knock sounded again, pulling Mark out of his thoughts. “Come in.” he said, his voice rough and scratchy from the physical and mental stress put on him in these past months. He had traveled all over the world in search of all of the scattered members of the Council all over the world. They had all heard about London. Hell, they could feel the loss. Vampires had a telepathic network that was spread all over the world, linking them all together into one strong force. It was one of their main characteristics, putting them apart from the likes of werewolves, ghouls, wizards, witches, etc.

The door creaked in protest as it was opened slowly, revealing who was on the other side. Taylor Rooks. She was from Egypt. She was one of his students in the past when she was more involved. She was orphaned by her birth parents because they were both rogues and she dreamed of being in the Council. Felix found her on the streets and brought her in, but didn’t have the patience to teach her. Mark took up the offer, passing on everything Marius had taught him. But when he had found her again, she was a grave robber.

Funny how people changed over time.

She was holding a small note. Mark couldn’t read the signature on the back, but it certainly wasn’t anyone here.

“This letter showed up at the door. It was addressed to you. I thought you might like to see it.” She said, striding over and placing the envelope gingerly in front of him. Mark nodded and gave a small wave of his hand, dismissing her.

Mark could immediately tell who it was from. The expensive paper, the seal, the smell, the signature.

Jack.

Mark didn’t bother with letter openers and held no respect for being careful as he ripped open the envelope, eager to see its contents.

Mark,

I haven’t seen you in quite a while. I have no idea where you’ve gone, or what you’re doing. I sent this with my butler, and he probably handed it off to a courier. Who knows how long it will take to reach you.  
Anyways, I’ve written this to see how you are. If you’re wondering about me, more and more rumors about me are spreading like wildfire across the continent. I’ve had 3 attempts on my life since you were last here. It’s become stressful here. It’s cost us twice as much as before to secure the perimeter, and I feel many eyes on me in public. I stay inside most of the time now, doing paperwork and only coming out to negotiate with potential business partners.  
I’m still getting more and more pressure about my marriage soon and I don’t know what to do. I’ll die if I mention you to my family, but I’ll still be harped on constantly if I stay quiet. Have you ever had any experience with this before? Any advice would be very helpful.  
Oh, I almost forgot! The day of my birth just passed. I thought you might like that small tidbit of knowledge. Anyways, any advice is appreciated, and you’re always welcome in the McLoughlin manor.  
Sincerely,  
Jack

Mark smiled faintly as he folded up the letter and pocketed it, Jack was starting to open up a lot more, but that could just be the pressure making him act strangely. Mark stood, stretching out his limbs before walking out of the room and heading straight to the library. The only sound in the corridor was the sound of his footsteps as he made his way to the ancient archive. It held artwork, literature, studies, mythology, music, documents, etc. The room was vast, bookshelves reaching high, books organized meticulously for anyone searching for anything.

Mark made a beeline for the literature section, looking through to find his favorite novel. He pulled the dusty book off the shelf. Not many of the Council enjoyed the tale, for the monster reminded them of themselves. Mark rather liked it, however. It had been written rather recently. 1818 wasn’t that long ago.

He dusted off the leather bound cover, revealing the golden lettering on the front of the book. Frankenstein. It was an original copy, stolen from Mary Shelley herself. Felix had been interested and snuck in to take it without permission from the upper members of the Council. Mark chuckled at the tale, recalling how angry Marius had been. The first time anyone had ever seen Marius fired up. To be honest, he wasn’t even mad. Just annoyed that one of the members of his Council would do something so reckless.

Mark left the book on one of the small tables to go in search of some ribbon. After scouring the archive for thirty minutes, he finally found bright red ribbon spooled neatly. He tied the ribbon around the book, tying and curling the ribbon on the cover. Mark walked out of the archive satisfied, the book in his hand. He grabbed his thick winter coat in preparation for the cold weather and headed to the docks, where he took the ship coming in to London.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> muscida57.tumblr.com


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Thank you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hhhhhhhhhhRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGNNNNNNNNNN YURI ON ICE EPISODE 12 WAS REAL GOOD YO AND IM LOOKING FORWARD TO A SECOND SEASON HOW ABOUT YOU ALL ;)
> 
> I feel a lot better right now because I'm on break and I'm less anxious and depressed. I found the motivation to write again and I've had a lot more time to myself and I've gone out for really long trail rides and those have really helped so have this fucken mountain of fluff +｡:.ﾟヽ(´∀`｡)ﾉﾟ.:｡+ﾟﾟ+｡:.ﾟ
> 
> SO YEAH UHHH THIS MIGHT BE THE CHRISTMAS CHAPTER BC ITS GIVING AND SHIT BUT I MIGHT POST ANOTHER ONE IN A FEW DAYS AND THAT MIGHT BE THE CHRISTMAS CHAPTER I HONESTLY HAVE NO FUCKING CLUE GGGGRRHRHHHHG
> 
> ALSO IM TRYING TO MAKE CHAPTERS LONGER FOR YOU GUYS IF YOU HAVENT NOTICED ALREADY ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ

After a few days of traveling on a cargo ship, Mark finally made it, hungry, tired, and aching, to London. He snuck off the ship, bypassing workers and guards to come out into the streets of London. He couldn’t remember London very well, but he had gotten some sort of map from when he was able to sit on Big Ben. He had a relatively good idea of how to get to Jack’s manor from here, but it might take a while.

He got a lot of remarks as he pushed his ways through the crowded London streets.

“Gift for your lady?”

“She’ll be quite pleased.”

“Is she into that kind of writing?”

Mark laughed to himself. If only they knew who this was for.

Mark eventually exited the crowded streets into the housing district. These houses weren’t nearly as nice as Jack’s manor. In fact, they were very similar to Paris’ houses. Mark kept going, past the bigger and more prestigious houses, passing a few mansions and other manors before coming to Jack’s doorstep.

Mark stepped up the limestone steps, coming to a stop in front of the large oak doors. They were slightly intimidating, considering that it was only the second time he had been there and the fact that security had been upped.

“Excuse me, sir, who might you be?” someone behind him said. They had a gruff voice, probably from smoking too much. Mark turned slowly, book in hand, wrapped with the red ribbon from the Archives, slightly crushed from being in Mark’s company for so long. It was a guard, about as tall as he was, if not taller, a revolver tucked into a brown leather scabbard on his right hip, his stance dominant, demanding.

“I’m a friend of Sean’s. I don’t swing by often, but I heard his birthday was not too long ago. I brought him this.” Mark replied, holding the book out for the guard to see. The guard eyed it warily before nodding and walking off. Mark let out a shaky sigh and raised his hand to knock, rapping it against the wood lightly.

The door opened almost immediately, revealing Jack’s butler. “Welcome, sir. How may I help you?” the butler said cheerily, a smile spread across his warm face. Mark shifted his weight from one foot to the other, trying to think of something to say. He didn’t think this far on the cargo ship. “I came to deliver something to your Lord. May I come in?” Mark answered, his voice still confident and proud even though he was unprepared.

The butler smiled, opening the door wider to allow him through. Mark gave a curt nod of his head before walking in, marveling at the grand room he walked into. There were two sets of stairs across the room, both of them a part of the same large staircase. The carpet was red with small golden designs stitched into it. The walls were white with accents of gold leaf. The ceiling was a high dome, arching over their heads gracefully with white marble. Jack certainly had a fair bit of change in his pockets.

The butler led him up the oak staircase to another room located in the middle of the corridor. The butler pushed open the door, revealing the mid-sized room. Bookshelves lined the walls, leading down to a desk by a large window where Jack sat, bent over his desk, almost certainly working on something. His butler cleared his throat, alerting him of their presence.

Jack held his head in his hands, one on each temple. He was shaking slightly, his form quivering against the light filtering in through the window. He looked up, his gaze empty and emotionless. He seemed so empty, devoid of all life. Devoid of emotion. Devoid of everything he had seen before. The excitement. The contentment. The joy shared between them. None of it showed in his stony gaze. He looked… sad. Dejected.

But when he and Mark made eye contact, his expression brightened. A smile formed on his lips and his eyes crinkled fondly, his face relaxing. He stopped shaking and let his hands drop to the table, folding them in front of him and leaning forward. His eyes filled with what Mark had seen before. Hope. Contentment. Joy.

No, something more.

His gaze was affectionate, as is recalling an old, nostalgic memory from years past.

Loving, almost.

His eyebrows lifted from where they had been furrowed, raising his expression. “Mark. It’s nice to see you again.” he said, waving his hand to dismiss the butler. The man standing next to Mark nodded curtly and left the room, shutting the door behind him. Jack waited until it had closed all the way to push himself up and away from the desk to be standing across the room from Mark. He stepped forward towards Mark, at first cautiously, but relaxing more as he came closer, his stride lengthening and his shoulders dropping as he came to a stop in front of Mark, their eyes still locked.

Jack stood there for a bit, as if contemplating something. Wondering what to do. The dying light coming from his window outlined his form with gold, filtering through his hair and making him seem to glow. He stepped forward hesitantly, his gaze lowered, almost shy. He had never been in this situation. Didn’t know how to handle what he felt. He hadn’t ever felt this kind of pull to anybody before. He didn’t know what to say, what to do, how to act. This was one of the only things Jack was unfamiliar with, and it showed.

Jack’s gaze drifted, tracing the features on his face and down his neck, following the line of his broad shoulder down his arm and to his hand where Mark still clutched the book. “A bit late, don’t you think?” Jack remarked with a chuckle, lifting Mark’s arm and gingerly taking the book. He pulled at the ribbon, letting it drop to the ground. His face lit up even more, a broad grin spread across his face as he looked up again, wrapping his free arm around Mark.

“An original copy?” Jack asked, pulling away slightly to look Mark in the eye, their faces mere inches away from each other.

“Indeed. It was a bit challenging to get my hands on, but surely worth it.” Mark replied, taking Jack’s free hand and grasping it in his own, their fingers intertwining without a thought, dropping back down to their sides. Mark squeezed his hand lightly before relaxing again, his gaze lost in Jack’s incredibly blue eyes. He still couldn’t get over them. They shimmered in the fading light outside of the window. They resembled aquamarines, cut and shaped to catch the light in the most stunning way possible.

Breathtaking.

They stood like that, gazing into each other’s eyes, both of them marveling at what they saw. On the one hand, it was a calm ocean, a gem, shimmering, hiding depths unknown to everybody. On the other, it was a warm fire, flickering in endless ways as every tiny movement caught the dying light in different ways.

They stayed like that for five minutes, just observing. Jack’s forehead brushed against Mark’s. Both of them smiled fondly, heavy-lidded, taking in as much as they could about the other. Jack pushed forward slightly, their lips meeting. It was chaste, but held so much promise. So many unknown things, unexplored areas of both of their minds. It solidified an agreement without words and started paving the path for their futures. Mark rubbed his thumb against Jack’s hand, which was still entwined with his.

“Thank you.”

Jack stepped back, letting go of Mark’s hand. A small blush sat atop his cheeks and over his nose. He had never felt this much affection before, much less expressed it. A warm feeling had blossomed in his chest, his breathing slowing to a more relaxed tempo and his frame relaxing, his shoulders relaxed, his arms hanging at his sides. He seemed like a completely different person than he was when Mark first walked in. Happier. More lively. Full of light.

“Feel free to stay as long as you like. You’re always welcome here.”

“I plan on staying for about a week, mon tresor.”

“That sounds nice, mo shíorghrá.”

Mark hummed contently, a tender smile gracing his face. He hadn’t been this happy in at least a century. It felt natural. Instinctive.

It felt right.

“It’s getting late. I’ll show you where you can stay.” Jack stated, striding past Mark. Mark turned and followed, their strides falling in sync with one another. They eventually came to a stop outside a wooden door near the staircase. The door was painted white with golden accents, matching the interior decor of the manor. Jack turned the golden knob and pushed open the door, revealing a fairly large bedroom inside. Jack gestured for him to go in, following Mark in and shutting the door behind them.

There was a desk off to the left, four drawers on each side. There was a wardrobe to the right. Space for a multitude of different outfits and styles. The back wall had a bed, a golden frame with white blankets arranged neatly, white pillows leaning against the headboard. The walls were the same white and gold as the rest of the house with a few hints of red here and there.

“There are different sizes and styles of dress in the dresser, as is custom for the McLoughlin manor.”

Mark nodded slightly, taking in the room. There was a window above the desk. That would be his main escape if things got hairy. He could always take the stairs, but that seemed like the obvious choice. He couldn’t find any trace of trap doors and hidden doors, but he would have to probe more to be able to find those, if there were any.

“Make yourself at home. I’ll see to Devon waking you up with tea in the morning and treating you with the utmost respect. I’ll see you in the morning.” Jack stated, leaning over to peck Mark on the cheek before stepping away and opening the door.

“Good night, Mark.” Jack whispered, before he shut the door, leaving Mark alone.

Mark sighed happily, sitting down on the bed to remove his shoes. He fell back, pulling the covers over him and letting sleep overtake him, thoughts of Jack still whizzing throughout his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> muscida57.tumblr.com
> 
> (psssssssst my ask box is open my lovelies (◕ᴗ◕✿))
> 
> (also can you tell that I've started using kaomoji and can't stop someone come save ┣¨キ(*ﾟ益ﾟ*)┣¨キ)


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I'd rather be damned with Mark than blessed alone."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhHHHHRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
> 
> FUCK 2016
> 
> hopefully 2017 isn't worse
> 
> January 20 :)
> 
> anyways, I want to thank you all for a pretty cool year in terms of writing. I started posting on here in June in 2016 and it's been amazing. I cannot thank you guys enough for being so supportive and kind and absolutely amazing. I can't thank you all enough. I love you guys so much. You guys have done so much for me. Hell, you've kept me from death. That's pretty fucking amazing if you ask me. My writing has improved so much since I started posting. It got a bit rocky in the middle of stolen, but look at what emerged from the ashes.
> 
> Cheers to a pretty neat 2017.
> 
> anyways its 3 AM here and I didn't sleep last night and im starting to hallucinate so excuse me if my writing is horrible ill head to bed calm down hhrhhhrgqdvadiyugf cHEERS

Mark woke up to something wet all over his face. He opened his eyes to find a husky standing over him, paws on either side of him, licking his face. The dog stopped as he saw that he had succeeded in waking him up, tilting its head and staring at him with bright blue eyes. Mark laughed and patted the dog’s head for a bit. The dog laid down beside him and rested its head on Mark’s chest, its breathing getting slower and more relaxed as time went on. It was almost asleep when the door cracked open, when it jolted awake and jumped to its feet. Jack stood in the door, dressed in casual wear, his hair still a mess and his eyes tired. He laughed when he saw the dog and called it over. It jumped off the bed and joined his side, where he knelt down and pet it, cooing softly before he stood again.

“Didn’t know you had a dog.”

“Yeah, the last one died. It was quite sad. This pup came in a few days ago, where a maid was introducing it to the grounds and familiarizing it. Today was the day that was set to let it freely roam the premises. Jasper is his name. He’s quite spry and lively.”

Jasper wagged his tail at the mention of his name, whining and licking his lips.

Mark chuckled. “I doubt that’s the only pet you have, judging by the way you spoke.”

Jack smiled. “Yes, there’s two more dogs, another cat, and five more horses here. I’ve always been more inclined to grow attached to an animal rather than a person. They don’t complain as much.” Jack laughed, his eyes bright.

Before they could get any further, a loud rapping sounded from the door followed by the sound of Devon scrambling to answer it. Jack turned and Jasper ran off, running to Devon’s side, wagging his tail as he greeted the newcomers with a few short yips. Mark rolled out of bed and scrambled to get clothes on while Jack walked down the stairs to greet the guests as well. Mark peeked out while he was tying his bowtie to see Devon and Jack’s expressions grave and their posture was impeccable.

Who could it be?

A few words were exchanged between Jack and the visitors before one of them came inside, Devon quickly fetching tea and cake with a frightened look on his face.

When Mark had finally dealt with his mop of hair, he exited the room and headed downstairs. He padded through the foyer and a short hallway before coming to a well-lit room. He saw Jack and… wait.

That was the princess.

It was all so clear now.

Mark straightened his back and lifted his chin as he entered the room where they were enjoying tea. Well, enjoying was a bit much. Jack looked stiff and tense, and the princess didn’t look much better. Jack turned stiffly as Mark appeared in the doorway, a small smile crossing his lips and his shoulders dropping slightly as he invited Mark to tea. Mark accepted the offer and sat amongst them, taking the cup of tea and small cake Devon set out in front of him.

The princess pointed her fork at Mark and raised an eyebrow at Jack. “Who’s this?”

“A friend.”

“You’re quite friendly for just…” she spun her fork in mock contemplation,” friends.”

A fearful look crossed Jack’s face, but was soon covered with the same professional mask.

“Whatever could you mean by that?”

The princess rolled her eyes and sighed. “Don’t play dumb, McLoughlin. A gift? Holding hands? A _kiss_? I think that might be a bit more than friendship.”

Jack opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to form words. Mark had grown tense, his fingers twitching by his sides as he prepared himself to knock her out. She giggled, putting down her fork and covering her mouth. “I’m not a threat, boys. I honestly couldn’t care less who you stick your penis in. Or who you let stick their penis in you.” she laughed, winking after the last line. Jack flushed bright red and Mark’s cheeks dusted a shade redder. She laughed harder, throwing her head back. Jack felt the prickle of sweat on his back, swallowing hard as he pushed those thoughts down, casting a glance at Mark, who met his gaze with a broad smile, an eyebrow raised playfully. Jack flushed red again, causing Mark to start laughing along with the princess.

After they had calmed down slightly, Jack finally found his voice.

“So, why are you here then? You came along with the queen to my manor for no reason?” Jack scoffed, tilting his head slightly and furrowing his brows.

“Mum dragged me along with her. ‘ _Oh, Signe, you’re a princess and you better start acting like it. Get married to a wealthy chap like Sean and have a family. Blah blah blah blah blah_.’ She imitated, gesturing wildly in a shrill voice. She draped a leg over the armrest of the chair and put an elbow on the table, blowing a lock of hair out of her face. “Honestly, I don’t care for any of that. I don’t feel any attraction towards anyone. The thought of reproduction is _revolting_.” she complained, making a sour face at the thought. “But, my mum’s desperate for me to get involved in a relationship. All the other kingdoms have turned me down and you’re her last hope.” Signe sighed dramatically, brushing her wavy blonde hair behind an ear, having undone everything the palace staff had done to it.

“I mean, from the outside, it looks like we’ve all dug ourselves into a hole here. You’re a homosexual, I’m a reckless ‘young lady,' etc. But nobody else really knows that. And if shit goes down, we both have people who will fight tooth and nail for us. Most of London. Parts of Europe, for you. Enough so that we can regroup and continue.”

“But what’s the plan?”

A wicked smile covered Signe’s face as she leaned over the table.”We just have to pretend to be together for a year and six months. Maybe three years. You can still be involved with Mark here, I can be set free from my mother’s treachery. It’s a win-win situation. We just keep up the act for long enough and we can get out of here. I have connections from all around the world that would be able to prepare accommodations for us in a year and six months to three years. You could still be a significant power and be more carefree about your behavior with Mark if you wanted. Or you could go undercover like I plan to and live a fantastic life as a nobody, all costs paid for, everything taken care of. Everything you could ever want with no strings attached. I can get you to a place where they don’t care if you’re a homosexual. What do you think?’ She extended a hand, waiting for Jack to take it and seal the deal.

Jack raised his eyebrows, turning his gaze to meet Mark’s. An incredulous smile crossed Jack’s face as Mark nodded. Jack reached forward and took her hand, firmly shaking it. Signe nodded, a smile on her face. “We have to discuss specifics, but that might take a bit. Mind if we take a walk in the gardens? You two can act as gay as you want.” She said, not really giving them a choice as she walked out of the room, waiting for Jack to catch up and show her the way.

“Okay, so there’s a few downsides that are unavoidable. We have to be publicly affectionate towards each other in public. Mark, you’re going to be nothing but a bodyguard, but I feel like you will excel at that from how you started acting earlier when I showed you how much I knew. We’ll have to act all sappy and kissy and the like. We’ll have to dance together. It’ll be horrible, but we’ll all be suffering together. Try not to act too awkward or else I will hire somebody to teach you how to perform properly and you don’t want that, I promise. For the different outcomes, we’ll have to wait for longer or shorter amounts of time. If you just want me to disappear, it’ll take a year and a half. If you want me to disappear and move, it’ll be two years. If you want to move to a more accepting place, go undercover, and have me disappear, it’s two and a half years to three years. I’m disappearing no matter what. I want to go undercover and disappear from my duties. You might as well. So, which one?” Signe explained, her pace faster than Mark’s and Jack’s.

They stopped while Jack and Mark discussed it, Signe tapping her foot impatiently. After a few minutes, Jack turned around and spoke. “I built a trade empire thinking that I would have all the luxuries in the world. But I’ve realized that that’s not the case. I’m more stressed than I’ve ever been with deals. It’s been that way for years now. Mark came into my life last year at the Hallow’s Eve Masquerade, sliding in beside me and starting friendly conversation. Little did I know that he would be the best thing to ever happen to me. But it’s brought its own problems. I always thought I would wait to marry into royalty and expand from there without actually being happy. But I didn’t know what actually feeling anything of that nature felt like. And the opportunities’ come up, but I’ve learned what it is to live and laugh and love. But I have to hide that when I want to shout it from the rooftops. It would be incredible to be able to live without that, and I’m willing to do anything so that I can be free from the shackles around my neck that have held me in place for so long.”

Tears were starting to brim at the edges of Jack’s eyes. Mark reached up and put a hand on his shoulder, steadying him.

“I’ve lived so long without feeling anything that everybody had described to me as love. Everyone would go on and on about it and I wouldn’t understand a word they said. I’m pressured to marry and have a family, but I had never understood the concept of love. I brushed it off as another thing to do soon, to just wait for an opportunity and take it while I could so that I wouldn’t only be the king of trade, but the actual king of England. But I’ve realized that it’s so much more. There’s so much more to life than just grabbing power at the next opening. I finally understand. But I can’t openly express that. My joy and love is considered sin and evil. I could die if London knew.”

“When I was young, I watched a man burn at the stake for being in love with another man. My father explained it to me as “something unforgivable. Sinful. Anybody who partook in it was evil. Damned. I had nightmares for weeks after that. I vowed to never, ever commit such a crime. I tried to fall in love. So, so many times. They all failed. I couldn’t bring myself to love a woman in that way. I couldn’t do it. It was impossible.”

“My family was disappointed in me for this. They were angry. They pushed me to find love when I simply couldn’t, but I kept convincing myself that they were only trying to help. I was beaten and lectured for it. Men have to continue the family line. I moved to London to get away from the pressure and to properly build my empire. I became wealthier than I could ever imagine. My family beamed, but there was still one problem.”

“Where’s your wife?”

“Do you have a special lady in your life?”

“Haven’t you ever felt this? This love? Everyone feels it.”

“Surely there’s something wrong.”

“I kicked myself for it. I was broken. I was flawed. There was one thing I couldn’t do and I couldn’t live with myself. I spiraled into a state of depression. Never sleeping enough. Not eating enough. Not drinking enough. People grew concerned and put more pressure on me to get a wife, but I couldn’t. I splintered, bit by bit. I had almost split. But then there was a certain masquerade I was dreading. I didn’t want to go. I didn’t want to be interrogated more on the subject, but I went anyways. And I’m better for it. I fell in love with the most perfect being. But being involved in that sort of relationship was sin. Evil. You were a demon if you felt that way. You were damned.”

“After a few months of being alone without Mark, he came back briefly, reminding me of what could be. Then he stayed away until he came back again. He gave me the best night of my life. Stop smiling. No, Signe, it wasn’t like that. No. It was just calm. It felt right. It felt more natural than anything had ever been. Everything fell into place so quickly. It was perfect. But then he was gone again. For longer this time. So long, in fact, that I wrote a letter out of concern. He came almost immediately after it was sent, bringing a gift and so, so much more. And now we’re here. My life has been enlightened by Mark, but it’s also been burdened. A blessing and a curse. But there’s one way we can lift the curse. It may take the longest and it might be the riskiest option, but it’s the promise of a life I could only dream of. The promise of so much more. And if that falls through, I’ll stay and fight.”

“I’d rather be damned with Mark than blessed alone.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> muscida57.tumblr.com


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Mmph!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow a SHIT load has happened since i last churned out a chapter
> 
> so, first off, fUCK
> 
> why does the Cheeto have to take office  
> legit im counting down the hours and crying when another hour passes
> 
> a GOOD thing that happened was that i got my haircut and now its short and i actually /feel/ like who i am which is a fucking amazing feeling let me tell you even though i still need a fucking tape measure to take measurements for a binder but hEH
> 
> a BAD thing that happened is that I found out that two of my close friends suffer from abuse  
> just jesus christ what the hell why would you do that to your child
> 
> a GOOD thing that happened is that one of my auditions is looking much more likely 
> 
> another GOOD thing that happened is that i dont feel nearly as dysphoric as i did a year ago! I actually feel like who I was meant to be. gender neutral motherfuckers [dab]
> 
> anyways i dont know why it took so long to churn out this chapter but wow i actually forced myself to properly write a kiss holy shit mate

A knock sounded from the door. Everyone’s faces grew grave, already knowing who it was before the door was open. Devon rushed over and pulled open the door, revealing the queen. 

 

“How’d it go?”

 

“Mum, it’s perfect! He’s lovely.” Signe jabbered, leaning over and planting a kiss on Jack’s cheek. Mark twitched slightly, his hands curling up into fists before he relaxed again. A broad grin was plastered on Signe’s face as she sauntered up to the queen, exchanging a few words with her before stepping back. The queen beckoned Jack forward, Signe stepping back and waiting beside Mark and Devon. The two of them walked to Jack’s office.

 

Devon shut the door behind them, quickly fetching tea for both of them. The queen graciously accepted the tea, taking a sip immediately. Jack nodded a thank you and waved him away. Devon scurried away, trying to get as far from Her Majesty as possible. 

 

“When’s the wedding?”

 

“Excuse me?” Jack’s eyebrows knitted together, raising one in confusion. 

 

“When. Is. The. Marriage.” the Queen repeated slowly, overly enunciating each word.

 

Jack laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head. “We’re… not ready for that kind of commitment. Understand, I haven’t ever been involved with someone in this way before. It’ll take a bit.” 

 

The Queen frowned, her expression turning stern. “How long will it take?” she asked, a dangerous undertone apparent in her voice. She was certainly not pleased with Jack’s excuses. 

 

“I can’t predict the future, Your Majesty. I’d say a year and a half or more.”

 

The Queen’s expression turned sour, and Jack braced himself for whatever was to come. But, to his surprise, she only nodded stiffly and stood, holding out a hand to shake. Jack was frozen in place for a second before taking it, giving a firm shake before the Queen swished out of the room. He could hear the sounds Signe and the Queen talking in hushed tones. They stopped after a few moments, followed by the sound of the door closing and a carriage rumbling away. 

 

Jack stood and exited the cramped room. He was greeted with enthusiastic grins from both Mark and Signe. Devon had a small, relaxed smile on his face, glad that he didn’t have to appease the Queen anymore. Jack walked up and high-fived Signe, to which she stared briefly, confused at the gesture, before tackling Jack, Mark, and Devon in a bear hug.

 

“Mmph!”

 

“We did it! How cool is that? My heart was pounding the entire time. That was so cool!” Signe exclaimed, tightening her iron grip on all of them.

 

“Mm _ mph!”  _ all three of them croaked, unable to breathe.

 

She released them after a few more minutes. All three of them hunched over, catching their breath. Jack rested his hands on his knees, trying to understand how she was so strong. Devon simply toppled over, passing out on the floor. 

 

“Ah… sorry!” Signe apologized, but it was too late. Mark lifted an arm and scratched the back of his head nervously, turning around to see what had happened. 

 

“How…?” Jack started, taking in another breath. Signe didn’t give him the chance to talk before speaking.

 

“Oh, I do a lot in my free time. I run outside of castle grounds often. Archery, hunting, practicing with swords and axes, the like.”

 

Jack finally caught his breath, standing up straight again. Mark threw his head back in laughter, pulling Jack flush against him. Jack laughed and pecked him on the cheek, wrapping his arms around the other. “We did it.” Mark muttered, pressing his forehead against Jack’s, a grin spread across his face. 

 

“Get a room!” Signe shrieked, waving her arm frantically, giggling. Jack laughed, pulling away.

 

“Er, sir…” Devon started, apparently having been awake for a little bit.

 

‘Hm?’ Jack turned, his gaze meeting Devon’s. 

 

“Ehm, what is your relationship with Mark?” 

 

‘Do you want the short answer or the long answer?” Jack replied, glancing at Mark, who also had a grave expression plastered on his face.

 

“No, I’m only asking because you’ve been so happy recently. Don’t be so worried! I’ve seen that too much these past years, and let me tell you, you look much better with a smile.’ Devon laughed, lightening the mood. “I don’t care who you love, sir. As long as you’re happy, I’m happy, and it appears that you’ve found love, which is even better.” Everyone relaxed, Jack, Mark, and Signe smiling again. 

 

‘What’s the plan?” Devon asked, his expression turning a tad more serious. 

 

Jack, Mark, and Signe glanced at each other, unsure of what to say. 

 

‘Just stay alive for three years, and then we’re all getting out of here. You can either go with Jack and Mark when they leave or stay here and look for a new job. You’re going to be a random butler to random citizens, still carrying out similar duties. These two are escaping to Asia to avoid persecution and I’m fleeing to America. We’re all going to be given new names and new lives. You could have that opportunity as well.” Signe piped, breaking the silence. 

 

“I’d like to travel with my master, or potential masters.” Devon replied, an incredulous smile covering his face. He lifted himself off the ground and stood, watching them exchange glances and a few whispers here and there. 

 

“I’ll just have to contact some people and that can be done.” Signe said with a nod, meeting Devon’s gaze. A broad grin spread across his face before he clapped his hands together. 

 

“A celebratory meal for the couple, real or fake?” Devon asked, a smile still spread across his face. Jack nodded, smiling.

 

They all split apart after a few more cheers. Signe went to the stables to ride one of Jack’s horses, assuring him that she didn’t need any help. Jack finally gave up, joining Mark in the gardens. 

 

“So, we’re not doomed after all.” Jack started as soon as he joined Mark, who had previously been admiring the assortment of flowers and plants. Mark stood up and turned to face him, a flower tucked into his breast pocket. He smiled at the sight of Jack, waiting for Jack to catch up to him, tapping his foot slowly on the stone path. 

 

“Indeed.” Mark replied when Jack reached him, reaching out to cup his cheek as Jack came to a halt in front of him, gazing into his eyes, soaking him in. Mark’s smile grew broader. 

 

He had been alone for centuries. Flitting here and there, seeking contact. A few one-offs here and there, but nothing that actually lasted. And that had bothered Mark for centuries. 

 

But here, with Jack…

 

Jack leaned forward, eyelids heavy, looking through his eyelashes. Mark’s smile grew soft, fond. Loving, one could say. Wondering how he managed to stumble across such a perfect being. But all thoughts were pushed aside as their lips met, soft and chaste at first. Jack parted his lips in a slight gasp as he felt teeth graze his bottom lip, pulling away a few seconds later as the taste of blood filled his mouth.

 

Mark leaned back, his head tilted slightly as he regarded Jack, his tongue darting out and running across his lips, a jolt running up his spine at the taste.

 

Blood.

 

His instincts threatened to take over, but that could only end up badly. Jack touched a finger lightly to the puncture on his bottom lip, a small dab of blood apparent on the tip of his fingers.

 

Mark’s nostrils flared at the scent, his eyes flickering from brown to red as he fought to keep the instincts ingrained from millennia down. 

 

He couldn’t take away the only thing he had.

 

No.

 

Jack glanced up, noticing Mark’s odd behavior, noticing sharp points poking slightly past the edge of his bottom lip. His smile turned into a pensive frown, his eyebrows knitting together. Mark ground his teeth, looking to his right, seemingly having an argument with himself. 

 

Jack stepped back, his eyes widening and his arms drawing in close to his body protectively. Mark could sense why.

 

“M-Mark..? You’re not… human, are you?” Jack asked, his voice shaky. 

 

“I guess that this had to come at some point.” Mark replied, his shoulders dropping, slightly defeated. 

 

Maybe this would be another case of him being a monster. Jack would run for the hills, terrified to come close to him. It wasn’t new. Many lovers before him did it. In fact, all but one had. 

 

“Look, I didn’t want to startle y--”

 

“That’s incredible! I didn’t believe it at first, but holy shit! A  _ vampire?! _ That’s just another reason for how amazing you are. Didn’t think that was possible.” Jack laughed, breaking out into a large grin. 

 

Mark didn’t know how to respond to that. 

 

Luckily, he didn’t have to.

 

Jack pulled him forward, meeting him with a more lively kiss than the last. Mark could feel him shudder slightly as he felt the same sting that he had felt moments before, a sharp intake of breath following as he felt a tongue running across his bottom lip. Mark pulled back, licking his lips, a predatory grin spread across his face. He could feel Jack’s pulse spike and his breathing quicken. Mark could almost smell a tinge of arousal along with a mixture of different emotions - happiness, excitement, slight fear, satisfaction, etc. 

 

Mark wouldn’t have ever guessed that happening. 

 

But before a word could be exchanged between them, the sound of someone clearing their throat came from behind them. They both whirled around, relaxing when they saw that it was just Devon. A warm smile was spread across his features, an eyebrow quirked. 

 

“You might want to head inside for that sort of thing. The gardens need to be tended to, anyways.” Devon laughed, his smile breaking out into a grin as he saw the blush on Jack’s face. 

 

“Inside it is,  _ mon amour _ .”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> muscida57.tumblr.com
> 
> if you want to contact me at all, all of my information is on my Profile page 
> 
> >>>>>>>> http://archiveofourown.org/users/Muscida/profile <<<<<<<<<<<<
> 
> If you need to vent, ask me a question, ask me for something, whatever, im all ears. im almost always on my phone and i try to respond as quickly as possible


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "How did I ever manage to be this lucky?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shit dude.
> 
> I wanted to get a chapter out to cheer up those of you feeling bad today. It was a day from hell, something only present in nightmares and dystopian fiction until now, but now it's a reality. I was personally incredibly sad to see the Obamas go. They're such wonderful people and they had to pass on the presidency to someone who they knew probably would tear apart everything they had worked towards. I'm scared for my own safety with Pence as VP, but hopefully none of his ideas about conversion therapy go through. Fingers crossed.
> 
> Anyways, I came to the conclusion that Jack's and Mark's hair is long! Jack's is about as long as his chin and Mark's is about mid-back. I was doodling and I came up with the thought and really liked it. Also, this is going to be very hard to explain, but I view my versions of Mark and Jack as my own characters. Like Mark and Jack are their own people with their own lives and these are people based off of them but not actually them. I felt the need to explain that. Personally, I believe the two of them have pretty great lives as is. A great lifestyle, great friends, beautiful girlfriends, etc. I don't want these fics to seem like they're *pressuring* them to get together and do all this. By all means, they can do what they want. Honestly, the characters do what they want.
> 
> Anyways, back to depressing America.
> 
> I know that I see a ton of negative things. And I'm negative about these things too. But I also know one thing. We'll make it through this. We'll stand together and fight for what's right. We'll band together, meet people also in need, and get through this. It might be tough, but we can do it. If you need to vent to me about the whole thing, I'm always here for you. I'll accept you with open arms and maybe some cookies. I'm human too! If you ever need something, don't ever be afraid to talk to me. I won't judge you or anything like that. I'll try to help to the best of my abilities. Don't be afraid to shoot me an email or slide into my DMs(Also, on Instagram, if you request to follow me, I will let you. I keep it on private to keep my family out lmao)
> 
> Also I accidentally pasted this the first time into HTML so I did this to give you guys another notification so that you guys could actually understand the telepathy parts because that wasnt clear because tHE ITALICS DIDNT FUCKING WORK

As they trudged up the stairs, the two made some friendly conversation. 

  


“Vampire, huh? Anything I need to know?” Jack inquired, looking over to Mark.

  


“I can tell how you feel based on scent now. I couldn’t before, but the smallest amount of your blood enabled me to do so. I can also predict your next action, but nothing further than that. But don’t think you can hide feelings from me anymore. I can smell them all. Also, be wary of riling me up too much. I don’t want to hurt you.” Mark replied quickly, thinking of things off the top of his head.

  


“Do you have some sort of vampire society?” 

  


“Yes, of sorts. Most operate under a group formed long, long ago called the Council. It’s so ancient and integral that everyone in the Council is connected through their thoughts. I can see any other vampire’s thoughts as long as they’re in the Council. We were once a very powerful group, being looked up to as gods in ancient times. Even now, many religion’s gods actually stem from us. For instance, I know your God on a personal level. He’s a fairly neat person, if I do say so myself.”

  


‘Were you any sort of deity at some point?”

  


“Yes, actually. A fairly important one as well. I was known as Hermes, Mercury, Hermod, Agni, Isimud, Papsukkal,  Raja Indainda, Turms, Zaqar, and probably a ton more.”

  


Jack stopped, eyebrows raised, an incredulous smile on his face. “Messenger, eh?”

  


“Yeah. I’m the only member of the Council who can control myself around humans with the least amount of effort.”

  


Realization crossed Jack’s face. “I’m in love with a god.” he said, dumbfounded. 

  


Mark chuckled, placing a hand on Jack’s back. “Indeed.”

  


“What a strange world.” Jack sighed, pushing the door to his office open. Mark shut it behind him, turning around to watch him slink to his desk.. No, around his desk to a door. Mark followed cautiously, watching as Jack pushed open the door to reveal a bedroom. Mark stepped in cautiously, surveying the room. The walls were white with grey fixtures on them. Grey lights, grey frames, grey furniture, etc. The bed was white with a black iron frame. The covers were dark grey as well. 

Mark turned back to Jack, an eyebrow quirked and his expression riddled with confusion. “So what, you find out your lover’s a god and you automatically invite them into your bedroom? That seems like poor planning and preparation to me. You have no ide-”

  


“Just make yourself at home. I’ll work on a few things and come back when everything’s done. Feel free to do as you please.” Jack said, shutting the door, leaving Mark alone.

  


Well shit.

  


Mark flopped bonelessly on the bed, leaning against the headboard. He thought for a little bit, his mind wandering until he heard a voice pipe in.

  


_ Hey, where the hell are you? A bedroom? What the hell are you up to? Everyone’s losing their minds! There’s also an unexpected guest here, and he’s not happy about the fact that you’re gone. _

  


_ Taylor? Who is it? _

  


_ Apparently Marius and Felix survived. They came back. They’re here now, waiting for you. _

  


Mark grumbled to himself, working out an excuse in his head.

  


_ I can hear you thinking. And so can they. They’re just being passive right now. _

  


Shit.

  


_ Nobody except you can properly communicate with them. We ne- _

  


Mark forced up a mental wall, blocking any telepathy from reaching him. He didn’t want to be bothered right now _.  _ Definitely not with Jack just entering the room again, his mid-length hair disheveled and his face etched with boredom. He slid in next to Mark, curling up beside him with a book. Mark smiled fondly, gazing at Jack as he was further enthralled in the book. He had such an interesting character. Rich with all-

  


_ Mark. _

  


Mark’s blood ran cold at the sound of his voice. Jack looked up from beside him, sliding in a bookmark and placing the book on the bedside table and pressing into his side, his striking blue eyes staring into his. A chill went down Mark’s spine at the sight, realizing in that moment how much he loved Jack. His eyes, his smile, his subtle gestures, his nuances, every small thing that made him  _ him _ . 

  


_ Marius has already addressed this. It’s forbidden Mark! On two counts even!  _

  


_ I don’t care, Felix. I’ve broken more laws. _

  


_ Mark, listen, First, being in love with a human is insane enough. Second, do you know what could happen if Marius caught wind of you with a man? I couldn’t care less, but I don’t want to see you get hurt. _

  


_ Felix, I’ll be fine.  _

  


_ You’re not sure about that. _

  


_ No, I’m not. _

  


Mark sighed, meeting Jack’s gaze. Jack quirked a brow, silently asking.

  


_ Mark, leave him behind. It’s too risky. _

  


_ I can’t.  _

  


_ ‘I can’t’ my ass. It’s wrong in the eyes of the Council. It’s unnatural to them. _

  


_ I . Don’t . Care . I’m not abandoning someone just because our love is forbidden by everyone around us. No, we’ll stand up and fight.  _

  


_ Mark, I don’t want you to get hurt. You could be killed for this.  _

  


_ When do you think I ever cared about that? _

  


_ I just want you to be safe. You’ve been the equivalent of my brother for centuries, and losing you would tear me apart. _

  


Mark’s jaw tightened, a knot forming in his throat, tears threatening the corners of his eyes. 

  


_ I’ll be fine. _

  


Mark blocked everything out again, leaning down and planting a soft kiss on Jack’s lips. Almost like a promise, silently vowing to protect Jack at the cost of his life. Something clicked in him when he vowed that to himself. A newfound energy, a piece of the puzzle slotting in. 

  


“We’re not just forbidden to the general public. We’re forbidden all across Europe. The Council bans homosexuality. We have to tread carefully.”

  


Jack nodded solemnly, clenching his jaw as he thought of the consequences of the Council finding them. It would be much more brutal than the guard finding them. 

  


Jack breathed out a sigh, the strands framing his face swaying slightly. He stayed like that for a second, seemingly suspended in time. Light filtered in through the curtains, casting the room in a reddish glow, outlining the gentle angles of Jack’s hair and face in a soft glow. 

  


Mark leaned forward, closing the distance between them again. Jack pressed into him, deepening the kiss. Mark let his eyes slide shut, enjoying the feeling. It was relaxing, soothing. He had never felt this kind of tranquility with anyone before. 

  


Jack broke away briefly for air, crawling on top of Mark. Mark’s eyes widened, realizing the gesture as a warmth spread through his gut, flames licking his insides. Jack smirked, leaning down, eyelids heavy, his legs wrapping around Mark’s waist, his hair tickling Mark’s face. Their lips connected again, Mark feeling a surge go down Jack’s and his spine. 

  


They broke apart for air after a bit. Both of them panted, smiling broadly at the other. Jack’s hair was messy, sticking out in every direction, and Mark’s bun was coming undone, long strands splayed across the bed. Mark let out a small chuckle, happiness taking its hold as he saw Jack’s smile brighten. Mark reached up, brushing Jack’s hair behind his ear. He kept his hand there, rubbing his thumb along the other man’s cheekbone. Jack relaxed into it, his eyes sliding shut and his smile growing softer, fonder. 

  


It just felt… right. Like everything in Mark’s life had been leading him to this beauty, who also happened to be one of the most powerful men in the world. Mark could’ve never dreamed of something like this. When did he get so lucky?

  


“How did I ever manage to be this lucky?” Jack breathed, opening his eyes to stare into Mark’s. 

  
“I was wondering the same thing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> musida57.tumblr.com
> 
> I lov.,..,..,feedback.,..,,,,.,,.so....,.,.,.,,,.much.,,,.,.,,,,,.,,.
> 
> **************EDIT: ok shit I accidentally pasted the text into HTML and not Rich Text so the italics didn't process...... fuck sorry guys


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who know what could happen if he kept this behavior up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pfffffft lmao ok if you saw this before i reposted kudos to you im a fucking idiot ignore me lmao please love me
> 
> anyways im super stressed for this one audition hEH
> 
> also i got a prescription for meds so im not as anxious and not having as many anxiety attacks

They stayed like that for a bit, sharing small remarks and comments between kisses. The sun started setting, the mood changing along with it. It got increasingly more heated as time went on. Jack’s lip was bleeding in 8 places by now, but he didn’t seem to mind, pressing in more to meet Mark’s slow advances. Mark’s hair was sprawled across the bed, the silk hair tie laying a few inches away from him. Jack’s hair was ruffled from Mark running his fingers through it, tugging here and here, eliciting small gasps and moans from the other man, making Mark’s heart flutter in his chest. 

 

Something clicked in Mark’s mind. He became more passionate, more purposeful. Jack accepted it, matching his advances. Mark could feel Jack shudder as his hands trailed down his back, resting on his hips. Mark could feel Jack’s heart beat faster and faster, his breathing also quickening. In a fluid motion, Jack grabbed the collar of Mark’s shirt and dragged him down on top of him, flipping them. They broke briefly, Jack’s eyes opening wider, taking in the sight in front of him. Mark’s hair draped over his back, cascading down like black water. A few strands hung down, coiling up on the bed. 

 

“You should let your hair down more often.” Jack stated, his voice low and breathy, panting.

 

“Mmm. Remember it now, because it’s annoying to fight with hair flying everywhere.”

 

Jack huffed, closing the distance between them once again, capturing Mark in a kiss. Mark’s grip grew stronger, thumbs rubbing small circles. After a few minutes, Mark’s jacket was removed. A few moments later, his shirt was unbuttoned. Jack stared at the ripple of Mark’s muscle, gazing at the expanse of flesh before him. A few minutes after that, his own jacket was off along with Mark’s shirt. But just as Mark reached down to rid Jack of his shirt, a fear jabbed at the forefront of his mind, anxiety washing over him. Mark could feel it, stopping after the first button. Jack’s expression had changed from pure happiness to thinly veiled fear. 

 

“Are you doing alright?” Mark asked, concern laced into his voice.

 

“Y-yes, o-of course.” Jack stammered, his voice weak.

 

“Do you want to stop?”

 

“N-n-o, o-f course n-not.” Jack replied, his jaw tightening.

 

“We’ll stop. You’ve never done anything like this before.” Mark said, starting to climb off.

 

“No, keep doing what makes you happy.”

 

Mark stopped, realization crossing his face. He dipped his head and pressed a kiss to Jack’s jaw.

 

“It’s not only about me. I’ll only be happy if you are. You’re very clearly uncomfortable.”

 

“Don’t stop just for me, Mark. Don’t feel like you have to-”

 

“No, It’s about both of us. Don’t pressure yourself to make me happy. Make some room for you as well. Don’t feel like you have to please me, Jack. You’re not ready to move onto that? Fine. It doesn’t affect our relationship. I don’t love you any less. If you’re not ready, you’re not ready. It’s natural. Don’t push yourself. You’ll just end up doing more harm than good, and that could end very badly. Don’t be afraid to tell me to stop. It’s a mutual relationship. I want you to be happy as well.” Mark explained, grabbing a shirt from across the bed and sliding it on. 

 

“T-Thank you.” jack whispered as Mark wrapped his arms around the smaller man, pulling him into a hug. 

 

Mark smiled and planted a kiss on Jack’s jaw. 

 

They stayed like that for a bit, Jack pressing into Mark’s embrace, resting his head on the vampire’s shoulder. Mark hummed happily, rubbing his hand across Jack’s back, closing his eyes, just feeling the other man. 

 

They fell asleep like that, Jack in Mark’s arms, peacefully dreaming throughout the night.

 

Well, at least Jack fell asleep. 

 

Mark’s mental wall had been bashed down over time and a slew of voices were entering his head. He ignored all of the messages saying for him to come back. He would stay here as long as he could. He didn’t ever want to leave Jack. He wanted to stay by his side forever. To protect him from all harm. 

 

When Jack woke up, Mark had already left, leaving him clutching to blankets and sheets. But he didn’t have to look far as he heard a familiar voice address him.

 

“Hey Jack. We don’t always drink blood. We also enjoy a variety of teas. I looked in all of your cabinets and saw what tea you liked and brought the tea that I felt like you would like the most. So here it is. Don’t be afraid to spit it out on me if you don’t like it.” Mark rumbled, his hair pulled back in a ponytail ending near the small of his back. He was slightly disheveled, but he didn’t look nearly as bad as Jack felt. 

 

“Thank you Mark.” Jack said after taking a sip of the tea, feeling the energy kick in almost immediately. 

 

“Strong stuff.”

 

Mark hummed in response, watching him sip the tea with half-closed eyes, still tired. 

 

All of a sudden, the door burst open, revealing Signe on the other side.

 

“Rise and shine, boys! We have an interview today! Time to get your hair pulled up and your clothes immaculate and try to act like we don’t hate each other. Not sure how any of those will go, but we’ll try.” 

 

Jack grumbled, looking up from his cup of tea. Mark smiled, revelling in the sight of Jack in the morning. His hair hung haphazardly over his face, delicate waves accompanied by a few curls at the ends. His hair was different shades, small strands of silver showing through the varying shades of brown. His eyelids drooping, his lower lip poking out in a small pout as the morning light filtered in and framed the sight before him in a beautiful holy glow. 

 

“I’ll let you guys wake up fully before I bother you again, based on the death glare your partner just gave me.” Signe giggled, meeting Mark’s gaze. Mark gave a small smile as Jack groaned, taking another sip of his tea. 

 

Signe nodded, the door closing with a small  _ thump. _

 

_._ _._ _._ _._ _._ _._ _._

 

“I don’t want to have to do that ever again.” Jack grumbled, walking out of the building. Signe nodded beside him. “I hate sappy things like that. I don’t feel attraction to anybody and saying all that made my stomach turn.” Signe replied. Mark huffed behind them, a playful smile spread across his face. 

 

Devon answered the first knock, swinging the door open to reveal a perfectly clean lobby. Devon stood to the side and held the door for them all, watching them all walk in. Mark murmured a thank you, Signe gave a nod of her head, and Jack patted the butler on the shoulder. Devon smiled warmly, leading them all to the lunch he had set out for them. 

 

Mark rubbed his hands together in anticipation, Jack smiling softly as he watched his silly partner’s eyes widen when he saw the beef. Mark took five steaks, shoving them all down, bones and all. Jack and Signe merely stared, shocked at the volume of food Mark could eat as the vampire took half of the plate of rice and shoved it into his mouth. 

 

“I guess some have different eating habits.” Jack sighed.

 

“This is  _ amazing! _ Kudos to the cook!” Mark exclaimed, his mouth still full with rice. Jack laughed, his eyes lighting up as he watched his partner’s antics. Mark smiled, eating some more food before allowing the other two to eat after a few more courses. Devon laughed as he saw the empty platters, whisking them away to be washed for reuse. 

 

They relaxed the rest of the afternoon, Mark and Jack taking a stroll through the garden, Jasper jogging along, tail wagging. Signe took another horse out for a ride, exploring the area around the manor. 

 

Jack and Mark slept in the same bed the next night, and the next, and the next after that. It became habit for them to hold each other at night. But when Jack woke up the fifth day, the other half of the bed was oddly cold. Jack groggily opened his eyes, seeing that the space was empty. Jack threw himself out of bed, a note on Mark’s side of the bed catching his attention.

 

_ Jack, _

 

_ I have some business back in Paris. I have to go for now, but I’ll be back. My ship leaves at 12:30 PM today. Te amo.  _

_ Mark _

 

Jack read the note over and over again, not believing his eyes. He threw a glance to the clock on the wall, swearing under his breath as he hastily put some clothes on, straightened his hair, and made himself look presentable to meet Mark at the docks. Devon gave him a confused look as he walked out the door, following him as he walked down the cobblestone streets, their strides matching as Devon caught up with Jack. 

 

“Master, where are you headed?” Devon panted, sweat breaking out under his suit. 

 

“Mark’s at the docks right now, getting ready to board a ship to France. I’m going with him.” Jack replied, catching a glimpse of the docks. He picked up the pace, Devon struggling to keep up. 

 

Jack and Devon finally reached the docks, and Jack started desperately searching for Mark. Luckily, there was only one ship leaving at 12:30, so it was easy to find him. Devon bid him farewell as he boarded, shaking his head at how crazy Jack was. 

  
Who knows what could happen if he kept this behavior up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you ever need to contact me for any reason, I have stuff on my profile. You can vent to me, discuss the story, or just strike up a casual conversation. Seriously. I'm literally always checking my phone, so I'll see your stuff pretty quickly. 
> 
> muscida57.tumblr.com


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I love you too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Get ready for tooth rotting fluff HAH
> 
> anyways JACK AND SIGNE ARE FUCKING PRECIOUS I LOVE THEM SO MUCH OMG THE VALENTINES VIDEO WAS SO FUCKING CUTE THEYRE SO CUTE I LOVE THEM SO MUCH HHHHHHHHHHHHHH
> 
> Since I haven't updated in 5 years:
> 
> I'm going to be alone for Valentine's Day.
> 
> Happy whatever fanworks day idk if I'll upload but ill try
> 
> hhhhhhhHHHHH this audition is fucking stressful save me
> 
> anyways how are you guys? I'm curious as to how you guys are. Doing good? Are you going to be alone on Valentine's Day, or do you have someone to spend time with, or do you not give a shit?

Mark tapped his fingers anxiously on his thigh, sensing that something bad was about to happen. He felt a sinking in the pit of his stomach, but it wasn’t clear why. It was just there. He couldn’t get the horrible notion to go away. 

  


He didn’t want to focus on that. He focused on Jack’s steady breathing, looking down at him fondly, watching the slow rise and fall of his chest. They were curled up in the back of the cargo area of the ship, having narrowly avoided arrest earlier. Jack had fallen asleep against him as Mark held him, his back pressed against the wall of the small space they had managed to squeeze into. Mark ran his fingers through the smaller man’s hair, untangling a few stray knots. Jack shifted, a small groan escaping his throat before he settled down again. A smile tugged at the edges of Mark’s lips, a warmth spreading through his chest. 

  


The boat suddenly jerked to a halt, making boxes slide back from their original positions and close Mark and Jack in even more. Jack woke up at the sudden scraping, his head lifting off of Mark’s shoulder and his eyes snapping open in fear. Mark pushed his leg out to stop the boxes from crushing them, locking his knee as Jack shifted to press a kiss to his cheek.

  


“Good morning to you too.”

  


Jack hummed in response, closing his eyes. 

  


“We should probably get off soon. Ready?” Mark asked, grasping Jack’s hand. Jack nodded, his eyes still closed and his head dipped. They shifted into dark mist, weaving through the boxes and finding a way out, shifting back in an alleyway. Jack stumbled coming out of it, falling back into Mark’s arms. “It does take some getting used to, I know.” Mark whispered, smiling gently. Jack groaned, still not fully awake. 

  


Mark pushed the other man off of him, patting his back and leading him out onto the street. 

  


“The city of love, sir. Not exactly why we’re here.” Mark said, spreading his arms to show the wide streets and tall buildings of the city. It was similar to London, but the atmosphere was different. Lighter somehow. 

  


“So, where are we headed today?” Jack mumbled through a yawn, sniffing and looking up at Mark.

  


“Just some personal business. In, out, and done.” Mark replied. Jack nodded in response, eyes still droopy as he looked up and squinted at the sun, his eyes still adjusting to the bright light. 

  


They wandered through the city until they came to the doorstep of a seemingly innocent building. It had large wooden doors and large, dark windows that revealed nothing of the interior. There was no title, no branding, no sign, nothing. 

  


“Stay here. Don’t go inside. Wander around Paris. I’ll find you again.”

  


“But Mark-”

  


“No. It’s too dangerous for you to enter with me. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

  


Jack nodded, staring at his feet as Mark walked into the building alone.

  


He felt so alone.

  


Cold.

  


It was like he was missing a part of who he was. 

  


The world seemed to lose a little bit of its color, the atmosphere becoming cold and desolate without Mark by his side. Everyone around him could be seen as a threat. 

  


He was so alone.

  


Jack exhaled slowly, starting to walk away from the building. His breath was frosty in the winter air of Paris, the clouds ahead blocking the sun. It was still busy, but everything felt so empty without Mark by his side. 

  


Nobody recognized him as he walked down the street, looking in shop windows and contemplating as he walked. 

  


Why was homosexuality so wrong? Why couldn’t he just be open? Why did they have to hide from everyone and limit their affections? 

  


Jack longed for the day he could openly hug Mark. The day he could openly kiss him and hold hands with him walking down the street. 

  


Someday. 

  


Hopefully. 

  


Jack kept back tears as he walked, burying his chin in the collar of his coat and pushing through the crowds. 

  


“Hey! Watch yourself!” 

  


Jack grunted, continuing to walk, shoving his hands in his pockets and hunching his shoulders, shivering slightly. The cold was eating through his jacket, the cold wind making him shudder as he walked. 

  


Jack eventually ducked into an alleyway, leaning up against the wall and lifting his chin.

  


“Hey, turd flipping aristocrat!” 

  


Jack’s eyes widened before a fist slammed into his shoulder. He could hear a crack and a sharp pain shot through his shoulder. Jack bit back a cry, opting to walk out of the alleyway and avoid a fight. His voice was weak at the moment. He would only be hurt more if he spoke. He already had tears in his eyes because of Mark, and having his shoulder throbbing every step certainly did not help. 

  


After a few more minutes of walking, Mark reappeared beside him, his stride instantly matching Jack’s as they walked. 

  


“We can head back now. Or we can stay a few days. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and it is the city of love.” Mark uttered, his voice tired and monotone. He tried his best to put something into it, but nothing came. 

  


“Let’s get a room at the inn and rest. You sound tired. I certainly am.” Jack replied, slowing his pace.

  


"I suggest the Sterling Inn. It usually costs a pretty penny, but you have that flowing out of your ears.” Mark laughed, turning onto a less populated street. 

  


They eventually got into the inn, both of them crashing down into the chairs. 

  


Mark’s eyebrows furrowed as he looked over at Jack, who was currently removing his jacket.

  


“You’re hurt.”

  


“It’s nothing, really. It’ll heal” Jack replied, wincing as Mark brushed a finger over the affected area. 

  


“You’re obviously not fine. Let me see.”

  


Jack cried out as Mark pulled off the rest of the jacket and placed his hand on Jack’s overly swollen shoulder. 

  


“It’s broken, dear. You’re not fine.”

  


“I just didn’t want to worry you. You have so much going on already.”

  


Mark grunted as he softly placed his hands on Jack’s shoulder, being careful to not apply pressure. A golden glow grew from his fingertips accompanied by a strange warmth. Jack’s shoulder started to feel better instantly, the whole thing being completely healed in a matter of seconds. 

  


“How…” 

  


“Magic. It’s hard to explain.” 

  


Jack smiled softly, turning and gazing at Mark.

  


“Thank you.”

  


“It’s no big deal, honestly. Healing something like that is simple.” Mark remarked, removing a boot and his jacket.

  


Jack smiled, leaning in and pressing a kiss to Mark’s cheek.

  


“Why won’t you just accept a thank you?”

  


Mark smiled, turning and facing Jack.

  


“Now that’s just one of life’s great mysteries.”

  


Jack giggled, pecking Mark’s cheek and proceeding to remove his own boots and hang up his jacket on the coatrack in their room. 

  


Jack fell backwards onto the bed in the room, spreading out his arms and legs to cover the entire bed. He let his eyes fall shut and his breathing relax, letting his head fall back into the pillows and letting sleep-

  


“Push over.” Jack heard, feeling a sharp jab to his ribs. He groaned, not moving a muscle. 

  


“No.” He giggled.

  


“I guess I’ll just crush your arms.” 

  


“No!” Jack laughed, pulling his arms over his chest and curling up. 

  


“That’s what I thought.” Mark laughed, the bed shifting as he laid down next to Jack. 

  


They laid like that for a while, Jack eventually opening his eyes and staring at the ceiling. 

  


“Why do they hate us?”

  


“Because in their storybook, it says somewhere that the only valid relationship is a male and a female and anyone who goes against that deserves to be burned at the stake.”

  


“It’s irrational to me. Why can’t all people just love openly?”

  


“Fear.”

  


Jack hummed, curling up into Mark’s side.

  


“I just want to be able to love you like everyone else. I don’t like hiding.”

  


“I’m sorry. Maybe it’ll improve someday. For now, we just have to stay alive.”

  


“Easier said than done.” Jack mumbled, closing his eyes. 

  


“I love you.”

  
“I love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> muscida57.tumblr.com
> 
> feel free to talk to me. Dudes I'm always open. I'm literally always checking my phone. My contact information is on my Profile page. hmu bro


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shrieks echoed around the large room, men and women clutching their children and their belongings, preparing to run.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's been eIGHTY-FOUR YEARS
> 
> wow that was a long wait
> 
> btw this is the last chapter of this before i hand it over to a good friend of mine. BE NICE TO HER OR ELSE 
> 
> if you want to continue to see my writing, I'm working on a new fic called 'The Strangers Who Find Me in the Woods". Yes, yes, its a different ship. You'll still like it i promise. 
> 
> >>>>>> http://archiveofourown.org/works/10994310/chapters/24488193 <<<<<<<<

They were awoken by a loud banging at the door. Jack and Mark both leapt out of their bed at the same time, Mark jumping to the defense immediately. He signaled for Jack to stop moving, tensing up as he approached the door. 

 

“Ah, yes, Mark Fishbach. And you, Sean McLoughlin. You’ll come with us now.” a man with a large handlebar mustache and a thick French accent demanded, puffing out his chest. He stood in front of two other men dressed in a similar garb, obviously their leader.

 

“What? Where? Why?” Jack spat, planting his feet firmly and crossing his arms over his chest.

 

“Order of the court. Move.”

 

“The court?” The two lovers said in unison, casting a fearful glance at the other. 

 

The court indeed.

 

About thirty minutes later, the two sat in a packed courtroom. People had flocked from the nearby region. The two had barely had enough time to dress appropriately, trying to push away their drunken lawyers. The lawyers sat in front of them, most of them shuffling and grunting, some chuckling amidst the whispers.

 

A hammer struck the wood of the desk, the judge calling for order. The case flew by, Jack’s and Mark’s stomachs dropping as they got further and further into the case. Witnesses came forward with nonsense that had never happened between them. Their drunken lawyers were no help, and Jack had been denied his own lawyers. 

 

“Sean William McLoughlin and Mark Edward Fishbach, you are both convicted of the crime of homosexuality. You are both sentenced to death.”

 

Time seemed to slow as the hammer struck the wood again, the sound ringing in Mark’s and Jack’s ears as everything they knew fell apart around them. Journalists walked with them, barging into the crowds with small notepads, asking them a flurry of questions. Jack simply shuffled along, allowing the guards to push and shove him to the doors, his jaw tight and his eyes glistening slightly. 

 

The sound of the hammer striking the wood kept ringing in his ears. 

 

It echoed around the room, bouncing off every panel and beam. 

 

Jack didn’t even notice Mark’s eyes shifting to a dull red. His shoulders squared up. 

 

No, Jack only felt an emptiness in his heart. His soul, really. 

 

His neck snapped, body hanging from the gallows.

 

Mark had other plans. 

 

Mark had refused to leave the bench, a low growl emitting from his throat as the guards came near him. He shook, and Jack turned around just in time to see fangs grow and claws tip his fingers. He grew taller and stronger, his eyes glowing an eerie red and a dark aura swathing him. 

 

The guards stepped back, wary of what stood in front of them. 

 

“A demon!”

 

“A monster!”

 

“What could have allowed this to happen?!”

 

“What do we do?!”

 

Shrieks echoed around the large room, men and women clutching their children and their belongings, preparing to run. 

 

“No one leaves.” a sinister voice echoed, the sound bouncing around every wall and corner. It was impossible to pinpoint.

 

The doors swung shut, locking with a short click. The place grew dark, making the masses panic more. Screams echoed through the hall, banging and screeching ensuing as people trampled over one another to find a way out, concluding that there weren’t any. 

 

“Silence!” the same voice seethed, a growl punctuating the statement. The hall grew quiet, everybody’s eyes wide. The guards who had a vice grip on Jack before let go in their shock. 

 

“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. Let me show you something.... Interesting.”

 

A single scream echoed throughout the hall, followed by a spotlight shining from… somewhere. 

 

“Hmm. Yes. I might be able to get something from you.” The figure holding the judge purred, his entire figure shrouded in a dark mist. 

 

“Now tell me, dear, who leads these pathetic wimps you call guards?” the figure purred, scraping a finger across the judge’s throat. The judge whimpered, his eyes squeezed shut. He squirmed to get out of his grasp, but didn’t succeed.

 

“Speak!” The figure barked hoarsely, a low growl emitting from its throat. 

 

“Eh, uh, from what I last know, it’s a man who goes by the name Roux. I don’t know anything else about him! I’ve never even met the man!” the judge pleaded, shaking violently. 

 

“Your information was appreciated.” the figure whispered, slitting the man’s throat and watching his limp body fall to the ground. Blood poured out of the wound, staining the carpet.

 

“Roux, huh? I recognize that.” the figure sniffed, grabbing a nearby guard and holding him in a loose chokehold. 

 

“What does this ‘Roux’ look like?”

 

“Red hair, eh, fairly average sized, burly, very hairy, gruff, aggressive.”

 

“I know him. Your information was appreciated.” The figure purred, breaking the guard’s neck and dropping his body on the judges’. 

 

The hall stayed silent save for the breathing of the occupants. A thought raced through Jack’s head.

 

_ Where’s Mark? Where did he go? _

 

Jack began frantically pillaging around him, anxiously looking for his lover and a way to escape. He stumbled over people’s belongings and often the people themselves, a few shocked outcries following. The figure’s head snapped to the source of the noise, his stare seeming to pierce Jack’s soul. 

 

_ Oh no.  _

 

The figure suddenly disappeared before a hand clutched his arm gently, and Jack felt himself dissolve to mist as he was led outside. 

 

“W-W----”

 

“I had to. I’m sorry if I scared you. We have to move.” 

 

“Was that you?”

 

“I’ll explain when I can. Follow me. We need to get to Russia as soon as possible.”

 

“ _ Russia?! _ ”

 

“I’ll explain later.”

 

Jack shut his mouth, following Mark through the crowd of people swarming the streets. 

 

Eventually, they turned to mist again and wove through the streets. 

 

Jack realized why he felt so odd in this form. 

 

He felt cold. Very cold. Like he was frozen in a solid block of ice. Every thought in his mind felt distant, disconnected. 

 

But, soon enough, they arrived at a stable. It was the middle of nowhere, which was probably a good thing. 

 

A figure stood by the door, and Jack felt a surge of panic. 

 

_ Was it a guard?  _

 

_ No, couldn’t be. _

 

“Two, please. Quickest you can find. We have a long journey ahead of us, so we’ll need some grain to take with us.” Mark said to the person at the door, and before Jack could register what had happened, two horses stood in front of them, both black as midnight with moderate feathers and long, wavy manes and tails. Both of them were saddled with sacks attached to the saddles. 

 

“Get on, Jack.” 

 

“What?”

 

“Dear Lord, we just barely escaped execution by the skin of our teeth, and you can’t take a simple instruction to get on a horse?”

 

_ “What?!” _

 

“We’re on the run, and there are scouts being sent our way. Get on a horse and let’s move!”

 

That’s all Jack needed. He vaulted onto one of the horses, and they took off into the undergrowth. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MUSCIDA57.TUMBLR.COM


	13. Hi guys!

Hello beautiful people! If you are here for an actual new chapter with plot and stuff you're gonna have to wait until chapter 14. [sorry :( ] But if you wanted to now about the person taking over this story then keep on reading!  
As you know the previous author said they'd be handing the story over to a good friend and that happens to be me. A little about me, you can call me Ty. I'm awkward, ADHD, and I like to think that I'm a decent writer, most of the time.  
I'll try to update and some type of schedule but you'll have to bear with me guys. Also, I'll try to match Bas/Nic's writing style but it's obviously gonna be different so sorry if you're disappointed. I also apologize in advance if I'm not as good at writing as they are. I will try my best though, for all of you! Please, be nice because I'm figuring this out as I go....  
If you have questions you wanna ask me, put them in the comments and I'll try to answer as many as possible. [As long as they're appropriate :)]  
Bye beautiful people!


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Maybe...?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i like . dropped off the face of the earth there for a while. so like my life is a bunch of music right now and music takes up SO much time between rehearsals and practice and stuff but anyways im forcing myself to write 1 hour a day every day so why not work on this again a Ha

Jack slowly opened his eyes, his vision bleary as he sat up in… a bed? 

“Sounded like you had a bad dream last night. The only thing I could make out was you exclaiming ‘Russia’ suddenly. That was certainly interesting. Have any unfinished business in Russia?” a familiar voice piped. 

“N-no. I don’t know. It was something about being found out and dragged to a court and then… you turned into some monster. You were dark and shadowy and…” Jack paused, his eyes widening. “You murdered people. I can’t recount how many but you killed people.”

“Oh dear. Sounds frightening. Don’t worry; I’ve worked a few things out. We’re safer here than we were in London, for sure.”

“Why’s that?”

“Can’t say. Supernatural business.”

Jack shrugged, pulling himself out of bed. He shivered at the sudden temperature change, pulling on a sweater he grabbed from the floor and head over to where he heard Mark. He sniffed, grabbing a blanket and pulling around his shoulders as he walked. 

“Hello, Sleeping Beauty. You don’t look well.” Mark’s tone dropped as he saw Jack shuffle into the kitchen, his skin pale and sickly.

“I don’t feel well, that’s for sure.” Jack grumbled, plopping down on a chair. His eyelids felt like weights, and his stomach churned. He just felt weak. 

“It’s probably a side effect of the magic. It takes some getting used to. Eggs?” Mark stood over him, a plate of buttered eggs with a slab of ham to the side. 

“Er--Thank you.” Jack replied, taking the plate and balancing it on his lap.

“Say, is that my sweater?” Mark inquired, a playful tone in his voice.

Jack only looked up, casting a glare at Mark.

“Okay, okay. I didn’t mean to offend. Eat your food.” 

Jack picked at his food, his eyes tired and a frown bringing down his normally bright features. 

“Look, whatever that dream was, it won’t happen. Ever. We’re safe here. I promise.” 

Jack sighed, setting aside his plate, his hands shaking. The plate never made it to the table, slipping out of Jack’s violently trembling hands and landing on the floor. Luckily, the plate didn’t shatter, and most of the food was intact. Mark immediately began to pick it up, getting the plate back in order.

“I’m guessing you won’t be eating this. I’ll have it.” Mark shrugged, taking a bite.  
“Hey, Mark, I - uh -”

Jack collapsed to the floor, unconscious. Mark’s eyebrows must have raised to his hairline, and he set the plate down in a hurry and ran to where Jack lay. 

“Are you alright?” Mark asked, picking up Jack’s limp head. Unconscious. Mark tensed. Poisoning? Disease? He wouldn’t have this strong of a reaction to simple healing magic. 

“Do I have your attention?” a deep, gruff voice asked. Mark went still, every sense on edge.

“What are you here for?” Mark asked, still not turning to face whoever was behind him. 

“I think it’s time you said hello to an old friend.”

“Very old friend?”

“Perhaps.”

“Am I in trouble again?” 

“Quite, yes. He’ll die in less than a day at this rate unless you come with me.”

Mark’s breath caught in his throat. He looked over at Jack, slumped on the ground, curled in on himself. 

Mark exhaled sharply. “I’ll do whatever you need.”

“Good. Follow me.”

Mark knew the person who had barged into his house and poisoned Jack, the very person who lead most vampires and the person who turned him. Marius, a very renowned name all over Europe. 

“So, Mark, my most prized pupil, while we’re walking, we should talk.” Marius stated, an intimidating glitter in his eyes. “What the hell have you been thinking and doing these past months?’ Marius asked, his voice as smooth as polished glass. 

“Actually enjoying something other than killing and hurting, sir.”

A hint of annoyance showed in Marius’ voice, and Mark tensed. “You’re violating one of our most basic rules. It’s easy for other vampires because they don’t have the self-control to associate with mortals. For you, it’s much easier. But you doing it disobeys one of the core rules. It’s straightforward. Don’t. Associate. With. Mortals.”

“I understand, sir, but I’ll never be vital to you if I don’t have something to fight for.”

Marius stopped, a stillness settling over him. Anger shone in his eyes. “You said you’d do anything, right? Either kill that mortal or never speak to him again.”

Mark bristled, his heart pounding in his chest. “What if I refused?” Mark growled. 

“You’d be dead in a second. You know that you can’t beat me in one on one combat.”

“I guess you’ll lose one of your most talented fighters, then. What did you call me? Your most prized pupil? It’d be a shame to kill someone with so much promise.”

Marius chewed on that for a bit, tapping his foot. He eventually sighed, shaking his head.

“Fine just -- don’t make it too public, okay?” Marius said, defeated. “Here’s the antidote. You better get back fast.” Marius held out a vial with a yellow liquid in it.

“Thank you kindly, sir.” Mark said, taking the vial and striding down the street. He might not be able to beat Marius physically, but Mark was better with words than Marius was. 

Mark opened the door to the modest apartment, and Jack was up, walking around. He was talking with someone, probably in the lounge. 

“Hello?” Mark called, the voices going silent. 

Two figures walked into the room he was standing in. Jack was standing on the left, and on the right…

“Taylor?” 

“Sure is. You see, I knew your old friend was going to poison Jack here. That antidote? Another poison. Marius is pissed at you, but I don’t want any innocent person dying because of his unpredictable anger. He’s getting worse at controlling himself.”

“Half of the Council was killed in London. He has a lot on his plate.” Mark sighed. 

“I guess. Anyways, your friend here has a ward against offensive magic and poison now. You’re welcome. You guys only have one bed, did you notice?” 

Mark and Jack exchanged a knowing gaze, Mark turning back to Taylor. 

“You’re kidding, right?”

“What?” Taylor exclaimed, confusedly looking back and forth.

“Oh dear.” Jack muttered, holding his head in his hand. 

“You know what, nevermind. Thank you and have a fantastic day.” 

“Uh, ok?” Taylor replied, walking out the door. 

“That could’ve been a lot worse.” Mark laughed, shutting the door behind her.

“Like me dying?”

“Maybe..?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MUSCIDA57.TUMBLR.COM


End file.
